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In game two of Friday’s Super Rugby Americas double, Peñarol play host to Os Cobras in Montevideo. The fixture comes with the Uruguayans red-hot after downing Los Dogos in Córdoba. Os Cobras are winless after three games and approaching crisis point following a heavy home defeat against Paraguay’s Yacare on Sunday.
Peñarol’s win over Los Dogos underlined the point that the 2022 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) champions are the team to beat in Super Rugby Americas 2023. It was a notably improved performance after Peñarol did not get past second gear against the American Raptors one week earlier.
Peãnrol’s form sees head coach Pablo Bouza oozing with confidence. Bouza has rotated his players with rests for some leading players and a place on the bench for others. It combines to give other opportunities. A case in point is at pivot with Juan Andrés Zuccarino starting for the first time.
Zuccarino played for Selknam in SLAR 2022 and played against the Raptors last month at inside center. The recently turned 20-year-old Guillermo Juan Storace will play inside center. Meanwhile, veteran RWC 2015 and 2019 Gastón Mieres will make his debut for Peñarol on the right wing.
The forwards see notable selections too. The promising Emiliano Faccennini will start at hooker while Diego Arbelo is back to start at tight head. Arbelo is Uruguay’s leading tight head prop. Injury during SLAR 2022 saw him miss all of Los Teros‘ test matches last year.
Leading second-rower Ignacio Dotti has the match off. This sees Felipe Aliaga joined by Eric Dosantos in the second-row. The latter was a regular in SLAR 2022 but is really a flanker. Manuel Ardao and Manuel Diana continue in the back-row. They are joined by Carlos Deus this week. Ardano and Diana have been among the best forwards in Super Rugby Americas 2023 thus far.
Those named on Peñarol’s bench will be keen to get game-time. They are all competing for places at the World Cup. Juan Manuel Rodríguez and Lucas Bianchi both cover flanker.
Os Cobras have the short turn-around this week. Having played three consecutive matches in São Paulo on Sunday’s, the Brazilian side now play on Friday in Uruguay. Os Cobras go into the match in a bad state. They lost 41-21 against Los Pampas, 31-14 against Los Dogos and 34-14 against Yacare. All were home matches. Os Cobras failed to earn a competition point.
In searching for a means to an end of playing better rugby and winning matches, Josh Reeves has made nine changes to face Peñarol. They begin up front with Levy Marinho and Joel Ramirez to be the starting props. After his outstanding performance from the bench against Yacare, Argentine Lucio Anconetani returns to star in the second-row.
In the back-row Cleber Dias and André Arruda will be joined by Diver Ceballos. The match will be the first start for the Colombian in a Cobras shirt. Ceballos joins Alain Altahona to give Colombia two players in the run-on XV.
Altahona and Ariel Rodrigues will play on the wings with Argentine Nicolás Cantarutti moving from outside center to fullback. Additional changes see Felipe Gonçalves and Lucas Spago combining for the first time in 2023 as the halves and Robson Moraes, slotting in at outside center.
Peñarol and Os Cobras previously meet in SLAR matches in 2021 and 2022. Peñarol won all four matches, the most recent one being a dominant 40-3 display. The first meeting was not between Peñarol and Os Cobras; rather, it was under two soccer powers as the Brazilian team in 2020 played as Corinthians. Peñarol won on that day 45-14.
PENAROL
1 Mateo Perillo, 2 Emiliano Faccennini, 3 Diego Arbelo, 4 Felipe Aliaga, 5 Eric Dosantos, 6 Manuel Ardao (capt.), 7 Carlos Deus, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Juan Andrés Zuccarino, 11 Juan Manuel Alonso, 12 Guillermo Juan Storace, 13 Tomás Inciarte, 14 Gastón Mieres, 15 Rodrigo Silva
Replacements: 16 Guillermo Pujadas, 17 Matías Benítez, 18 Mathias Franco, 19 Juan Manuel Rodríguez, 20 Lucas Bianchi, 21 Juan Francisco Torres, 22 Felipe Etcheverry, 23 Alfonso Silva
COBRAS
1 Levy Marinho, 2 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 3 Joel Ramirez, 4 Lucio Anconetani, 5 Gabriel Paganini (capt.), 6 Cleber Dias, 7 Diver Ceballos, 8 André Arruda, 9 Felipe Gonçalves, 10 Lucas Spago, 11 Alain Altahona, 12 Robert Tenório, 13 Robson Moraes, 14 Ariel Rodrigues, 15 Nicolás Cantarutti
Replacements: 16 Alexandre “Texugo” Alvez, 17 Diego Vidal, 18 Bautista Vidal, 19 Ben Donald, 20 Donnacha Byrne, 21 Douglas Rauth, 22 Guilherme Coghetto, 23 Sergio Luna
Date: Friday, March 10
Kick-Off: 9pm (UY)
Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo (UY)
Referee: Francisco González (UY)
Assistant Referees: Nicolás Cotic (AR); Claudio Cativelli (AR)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (UY)
HISTORIC RESULTS
Apr 23, 2022 – Peñarol 40-3 Cobras (Montevideo, UY)
Mar 13, 2022 – Cobras 10, Peñarol 19 (Valparaíso, CL)
Apr 16, 2021 – Peñarol 40, Cobras 12 (Montevideo, CL)
Mar 16, 2021 – Cobras 24, Peñarol 33 (Santiago, CL)
Feb 26, 2020 – Peñarol 45, Corinthians 14 (Montevideo, UY)
