Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Los Cafeteros Pro have qualified for the SLAR 2022 Semi Finals. The Colombian team were 11-10 winners on Sunday afternoon over the Olímpia Lions. The outcome gave Los Cafeteros Pro four competition points and a place in the play-off’s. The Olímpia Lions were eliminated by the team that was winless in SLAR 2021.
The match was low-scoring. The only first half points came in the form of a penalty to Eliseo Morales. The scrum-half slotted a 29th minute penalty. He came close to adding a second but it was wide.
Meanwhile, the Olímpia Lions were a man down. Lorenzo Colidio was yellow carded four minutes from half-time. No points came with him off; indeed, it was a 3-0 scoreline at half-time.
The play opened up slightly more in the second-half; though, for the most part it was a hard-fought contest. It was a constant ball in the contact area. It went from one tackle to the next with players competing for the ball.
The Olímpia Lions had the better of play for much of the third quarter. It did not give them the lead; instead, the teams traded penalties to set-up a final quarter with the scores at 6-3. Meanwhile, Los Cafeteros Pro were a man down with Julián Hernández yellow carded.
When Hernández returned, the Olímpia Lions had taken the lead. The Paraguayans scored from a rolling maul. Hooker Juan Sánchez was the scorer and Diego Walter slotted the difficult conversion. With it the Olímpia Lions were 10-6 ahead with 11 minutes remaining.
The final ten minuets were full of excitement. The Olímpia Lions went close to scoring again. Had they done so then it would have been game over for Los Cafeteros Pro and a second SLAR semi final for the Paraguayans.
The committed Cafeteros Pro held firm and showed determination to score at the other end. Flanker Felipe Puertas was instrumental to turning around the match. He won turnover ball and carried superbly to give his side a late shot at a miracle.
The miracle came following raids on the Olímpia Lions’ try line. Following impressive defense to hold out Los Cafeteros Pro, a gap opened. Julián Hernández ran and passed inside to Leonardo Gea. The center’s angled run got him over the line and into the try zone.
Celebrations will run well in to the night. Los Cafeteros Pro have pulled-off a great result. Their campaign in SLAR 2022 has been impressive. The prize for eliminating the Olímpia Lions is a Semi Final against Peñarol on Saturday, May 21.
SCORING
OLÍMPIA LIONS 10
Try – J Sánchez (68′)
Con – D Walter 1/1 (69′)
Pen – D Walter 1/2 (50′)
YC – L Colidio (36′)
CAFETEROS PRO 11
Try – L Gea (80′)
Con – E Morales 0/1
Pen – E Morales 2/4 (29′, 54′)
DG – J Hernández 0/1
YC – J Hernández (59′)
TEAMS
OLÍMPIA LIONS
1 Daniel Cabral, 2 Juan Sánchez, 3 Enrique Quinteros, 4 Lorenzo Colidio, 5 Mariano Garcete, 6 Álvaro Biscay, 7 Ariel Nuñez, 8 Mariano Romanini, 9 Ignacio Inchauspe (capt.), 10 Nicolás Hogg, 11 Julián Quetglas, 12 Sebastián Urbieta, 13 Francisco Díez, 14 Agustín Córtes, 15 Diego Walter
Replacements: 16 Emilio Gorostiaga, 17 Manuel Stuchetti, 18 Franco Giacoppo, 19 Agustín Toth, 20 Nicolás Sánchez, 21 Facundo Villalba, 22 Ramiro Amarilla, 23 Juan González
CAFETEROS PRO
1 Javier Corvalán, 2 Boris Wenger, 3 Carlos Angulo, 4 Gregório Hernández, 5 Federico Lavanini, 6 Felipe Puertas, 7 Diver Ceballos, 8 Juan Mernes, 9 Eliseo Morales, 10 Julián Hernández, 11 Andrés Álvarez, 12 Manuel Alfaro, 13 Leonardo Gea, 14 Manuel de Marco, 15 Franco Giudice (capt.)
Replacements: 16 Tomás Bartolini, 17 Diego Posada, 18 Brian González, 19 Eliseo Fourcade, 20 Joaquín Sánchez, 21 José Gálvez, 22 Marcos Amorisa, 23 Valentín Fernández
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Francisco González (Uruguay)
Assistant Referees: Gonzalo De Achaval; Cauã Ricardo (Brazil)
TMO: Alejandro Longres (Uruguay)
