Pampas run over outnumbered Cobras in São Paulo

In conditions well known in decades gone by, mud was a feature of Sunday’s Super Rugby Americas match between os Cobras and Los Pampas in São Paulo. It was competitive at times but Los Pampas played at a pace that Os Cobras could not keep up with and cards gave Os Cobras a costly lesson.

Los Pampas scrum dominance gave them two early penalties. The second had Juan Ignacio Landó kicking for goal. It hit the posts only for Robert Tenório to knock-on while attempting to regather. Los Pampas had another scrum and from it they scored. Play went to the left with Rafael Iriate taking the tackle while offloading to an unmarked Iñaki Delguy who scored untouched.

Landó converted the early try and added a second conversion three minutes later. Former Rugby ATL fly half, Joaquín de la Vega Mendía chased a kick through to score. Landó made it 14-0 after 10 minutes.

The scrum was not working but the Cobras forwards had a trick up their sleeve; they had the rolling-maul. Having won a penalty Os Cobras kicked for the corner and set-up a lineout to rolling maul drive. They pushed the Argentines back and won a penalty try.

The penalty try also sw Javier Coronel yellow carded. With a one-man advantage, Os Cobras enjoyed more possession and territory. They went for a second push-over try and got it. Endy Willian Pinheiro touched down in the 23rd minute. Lucas Tranquez landed the conversion to equalize the scoring.

Landó landed a long-range penalty for a 28th minute lead. What followed was soccer work from Iñaki Delguy and Jerónimo Ulloa with the latter scoring a try. Just after he did so he received a knee to the face from a diving Adrio de Melo. Os Cobras’ vice-captain was red carded.

Los Pampas gained revenge for the earlier penalty try with a powerful 20 meter rolling-maul. Hooker Ramiro Gurovich scored three minutes from half-time.

Os Cobras had no interest in throwing in the towel. Instead, they fought hard to score the opening try of the second half. With the help of Brendon Alves, André Arruda powered over. Tranquez converted to make it a 31-21 scoreline.

Os Cobras had momentum but, again, saw red. Robert Tenório was red carded for foul play seeing his team play with 13 men from the 55th minute and Lucas Spago was yellow carded two minutes later. It was game-over.

Los Pampas scored twice with numbers seeing Landó scoring a simple try to the left and Ignacio Ruiz to the right. The Argentines ended with 13-men as Martín Villar and Rodrigo Pérez Boulan were both yellow carded with Os Cobras on attack.

Both teams will need to improve next weekend. Os Cobras remain at home to face Los Dogos while Los Pampas remain on the road. They trave to Santiago to face Selknam. Both Los Dogos and Selknam won their opening rounds fixtures of Super Rugby Americas 2023.

 

SCORING

COBRAS 21
Try – Penalty try (15′), EW Pinheiro (23′), A Arruda (51′)
Con – No Kick (15′), L Tranquez 2/2 (24′, 51′)
YC – L Anconetani (27′), L Spago (57′)
RC – A de Melo (32′), R Tenório (55′)

PAMPAS 41
Try – I Delguy (6′), J de la Vega Mendía (10′), J Ulloa (32′), R Gurovich (37′), JI Landó (56′), I Ruiz (69′)
Con – JI Landó 7′, 10′, 33′, 37′ (4/6)
Pen – JI Landó 1/2 (28′)
YC – J Coronel (15′), M Villar (76′), R Pérez Boulan (78′)

 

TEAMS

COBRAS
1 Levy Marinho, 2 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 3 Henrique Ferreira, 4 Lucio Anconetani, 5 Gabriel Paganini (capt.), 6 Adrio de Melo, 7 Matheus Claudio, 8 André Arruda, 9 Douglas Rauth, 10 Lucas Tranquez, 11 Alain Altahona, 12 Robert Tenório, 13 Nicolás Cantarutti, 14 Ariel Rodrigues, 15 Daniel Lima

Replacements: 16 Leonardo Silva, 17 Brendon Alves, 18 Bautista Vidal, 19 Ben Donald, 20 Cleber Dias, 21 Diver Ceballos, 22 Felipe Gonçalves, 23 Lucas Spago

PAMPAS
1 Miguel Prince, 2 Ramiro Gurovich, 3 Javier Coronel, 4 Lorenzo Colidio, 5 Federico Lavanini, 6 Nicolás D’amorim, 7 Manuel Bernstein, 8 Santiago Ruiz, 9 Rafael Iriarte, 10 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía, 11 Iñaki Delguy, 12 Felipe de la Vega, 13 Juan Pablo Castro (capt.), 14 Jerónimo Ulloa, 15 Juan Ignacio Landó

Replacements: 16 Rodrigo Pérez Boulan, 17 Javier Corvalán, 18 Martín Villar, 19 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 20 Jerónimo Ureta, 21 Mateo Albanese, 22 Tomás Suárez Folch, 23 Benjamín Elizalde

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Nehuén Jauri Rivero (AR)
Assistant Referees: Lucas Saccomano (BR); Simón Larrubia (AR)
TMO: Marcelo Pilara (AR)