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Chile play host to Brazil on Saturday in the second match of a two-match-series. The internationals are non-capped with Chile and Brazil playing as the Chile XV and the Brazil XV. The Chileans won the opening contest 36-27 on Wednesday.
The series precedes the South American Tri Nations. Brazil will travel north to Barranquilla to play in the tournament against Colombia and Paraguay. Brazil will arrive in the Colombian port city after Colombia and Paraguay have contested the opening fixture.
The RWC 2023 qualified Chile are a team of increased importance. Attention has now turned to preparing for the World Cup. Los Cóndores will play in Pool D of in France. The group also contains Argentina, England, Japan, and Samoa. The battle of the Andes between Argentina and Chile will be the first ever all South American fixture at a Rugby World Cup.
Chile’s home series as Chile XV against the Brazil XV has given the coaching staff and players alike an important opportunity. The line-up named to play in Temuco is very different to that from Santiago. Matías Garafulic takes over the captaincy from Martín Sigren.
Garafulic is one of just three Chilean starters from Santiago that will also start in Temuco. Garafullic remains at outside center while Tomás Salas again plays fly half and Augusto Sarmiento starts again in the second-row.
The battle-hardened Tomás Dussailant will have great responsibility at hooker. He is joined by Sebastián Otero and Esteban Inostroza in the front-row. The versatile Thomas Orchard gets a start in the second-row with further youth starting in the back-row in the form of Ernesto Tchimino, Santiago Edwards, and Joaquín Milesi.
The backs have a leading name at scrum-half; Marcelo Torrealba replaced Nicolás Herreros. Meanwhile Baltazar Jana, Clemente Armstrong and Cristobal Game are all players coming through the system who will start in the backs. The explosive Luca Strabucchi will plenty from fullback.
Brazil’s formation is also highly-changed. Eleven changes in all have been made to the starting XV. Those who retain their places are wingers Robson Morais, and Victor Silva in addition to N8 Adrio de Melo and center Gabriel Zurka.
João Pedro Amaral will make his first appearance for Brazil at senior level. He will play at fly half outside Rafael Spago. Also on debut is Diego Vidal. The Irish-based Vidal starts at flanker as does Arthur Bergo who will captain the Brazil XV.
Chile’s success in the RWC 2023 qualifiers was felt in Brazil. Os Tupis want to follow the example and be competitive in the qualifiers for RWC 2027. Saturday’s match against Chile is an important step in the process. South American rugby continues to strengthen.
TEAMS
CHILE XV
1 Sebastián Otero, 2 Tomás Dussailant, 3 Esteban Inostroza, 4 Augusto Sarmiento, 5 Thomas Orchard, 6 Ernesto Tchimino, 7 Santiago Edwards, 8 Joaquín Milesi, 9 Marcelo Torrealba, 10 Tomás Salas, 11 Baltazar Jana, 12 Clemente Armstrong, 13 Matías Garafulic (capt.), 14 Cristobal Game, 15 Luca Strabucchi
Replacements: 16 Jorge Delgado, 17 Juan Gómez, 18 Iñaki Gurruchaga, 19 Martín Sigren, 20 Diego Escobar, 21 Clemente Saavedra, 22 Lukas Carvallo, 23 Vicente Tredinck, 24 Javier Eissman, 25 Santiago Videla, 26 Vicente Urbina
BRAZIL XV
1 Brendon Alves, 2 David Müller, 3 Levy Marinho, 4 Felipe Rosa, 5 Gabriel Oliveira, 6 Diego Vidal, 7 Arthur Bergo (capt.), 8 Adrio de Melo, 9 Rafael Spago, 10 João Pedro Amaral, 11 Robson Morais, 12 Joel Victor Santos. 13 Gabriel Zurka, 14 Victor Silva, 15 Guilherme Coghetto
Replacements: 16 Lucas Abud, 17 Leonel Moreno, 18 Henrique Ferreira, 19 Cléber Días, 20 Robert Tenório, 21 Daniel Lima, 22 Douglas Rauth, 23 Lucas Tranquez, 24 Gabriel Paganini, 25 André Arruda
Date: Saturday, August 20
Kick-Off: 4pm (Santiago); 5pm (Brasília)
Venue: Estadio Germán Becker (Temuco, CL)
Referee: Joaquín Montes (UY)
Broadcast: Star +
