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The first-ever professional derby in South American rugby history took place on Thursday evening in Buenos Aires. Los Pampas were the home side against Córdoba side Los Dogos. The visitors from Córdoba conquered La Catedral in an impressive 29-11 victory.
Los Dogos were the better team in the opening half. Tries at both ends of the half saw them leading 15-8 at half-time. Mateo Soler opened the scoring. The Dogos right-winger made a break for well inside his own half. The ball went through the hands of Agustín Moyano and Julián Hernández before Soler was back in support to touch down in the try zone.
Juan Baronio missed the conversion but he would be the next scorer. Baronio made it an 8-0 scoreline after 10 minutes. Back-and-forth followed before Los Pampas finally opened their scoring via a Joaquín de la Vega Mendía penalty. An attacking scrum saw Joaquín de la Vega Mendía run the blindside and pass to Benjamín Elizalde. The Pampas winners scored his third try of Super Rugby Americas 2023.
The 8-8 deadlock did not last. Los Dogos scored late in the half. From an attacking rolling maul, the ball went in field with Juan Baronio bouncing off two defenders to score. The 15-8 lead was a close reflection of the rugby played in the first half.
The second-half started horribly for Los Dogos. A second yellow card to Santiago Pulella saw him off in the 41st minute. Los Pampas were back in business and ought to have been favorites to get the win. It was not to be as Los Dogos continued their fine work from the opening half.
Second half tries to center Leonardo Gea Salim and replacement prop Ramiro Valdés were the difference. Los Pampas came away with a penalty early on in the half but nothing more. In the end, the mental toughness of Los Dogos was a telling part of their win.
The early staging of the Argentine derby was by design. Both teams play again next Saturday but in different countries. Infinity Park in Denver, Colorado will make its debut in Super Rugby Americas. The American Raptors host Los Dogos on March 24. Los Pampas have the much shorter trip to Paraguay. They face Yacare at the Estadio Heroes de Curupayty in Asunción also on March 24.
SCORING
PAMPAS (11)
Try – B Elizalde (35′), N D’Amorin (74′)
Con – J de la Vega Mendía 0/1
Pen – J de la Vega Mendía 2/2 (33′, 42′)
YC – J Ureta (39′)
DOGOS (29)
Try – M Soler (3′); J Baronio (39′); L Gea Salim (52′), R Valdés (75′)
Con – J Baronio 2/3 (40′, 53′); V Dipacua 1/1 (76′)
Pen – J Baronio 1/1 (10′)
YC – S Pulella (31′)
RC – S Pulella (41′)
TEAMS
PAMPAS
1 Rodrigo Martínez, 2 Ramiro Gurovich, 3 Javier Coronel, 4 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 5 Federico Lavanini, 6 Nicolás D’Amorin, 7 Jerónimo Ureta, 8 Santiago Ruiz (capt.), 9 Rafael Iriarte, 10 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía, 11 Tomás Passaro, 12 Manuel Alfaro, 13 Felipe de la Vega, 14 Benjamín Elizalde, 15 Juan Landó
Replacements: 16 Valentino Minoyetti, 17 Miguel Prince, 18 Javier Corvalán, 19 Lorenzo Colidio, 20 Manuel Bernstein, 21 Mateo Albanese, 22 Joaquín Lamas, 23 Iñaki Delguy
DOGOS
1 Santiago Pulella, 2 Boris Wenger, 3 Octavio Filippa, 4 Lautaro Simes, 5 Franco Molina (capt.), 6 Manuel Todaro, 7 Efrain Elias, 8 Ignacio Gandini, 9 Agustín Moyano, 10 Juan Bautista Baronio, 11 Ernesto Giudice, 12 Leonardo Gea Salim, 13 Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, 14 Mateo Soler, 15 Julián Hernández
Replacements: 16 Roman Pretz, 17 Tomás Bartolini, 18 Ramiro Valdés, 19 Gregorio Hernández, 20 Aitor Bildosola, 21 Juan Cruz Strada, 22 Valentino Dipacua, 23 Franco Giudice
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Francisco González (UY)
Assistant Referees: Pablo Deluca (AR); Federico Longobardi (UY)
TMO: Marcelo Pilara (AR)
