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Peñarol remain the team to beat in Super Rugby Americas 2023. The Uruguayans played like kings against Yacare on Friday. They did so despite losing three leading forwards to injuries in the opening quarter. The 45-12 win also came despite Yacare having scored first with a superb try.
With only one minute having gone on the match clock, Yacare were on the board. Fly half Estanislao Gómez out sprinted Rodrigo Silva for an unlikely score. He was unable to convert his own try from a wide angle towards the right-hand touchline.
Peñarol regrouped before hitting-back. Second-rowers Eric Dosantos and Ignacio Dotti were both forced off injured as was flanker and captain Manuel Diana. In between losing the first and third of these men, Peñarol claimed the lead with two tries. First, Manuel Diana powered over from one meter out. Second, Tomás Inciarte hit the line at pace to burst through and touch down.
The 12-5 lead became 19-5 at the close of the opening quarter. The third score was another good one. Diana handed replacement flanker Lucas Bianchi a gift score under the posts. He touched down five minutes after replacing his captain.
The second quarter was comparatively quiet. Thankfully there would not be further injury disruptions. The one score came at the close of the half; scrum-half Santiago Álvarez followed an advancing maul to get a cherry-picked bonus point try. Fly half Felipe Etehceverry added the conversion.
The half-time lead was extended almost straight away. Etcheverry scored Peñarol’s fifth try of the match in the second minute of the second-half. This time he got the gift as he provided support following a break from Gastón Mieres. Etcheverry added the conversion to underline his impressive night in Montevideo.
Further points would not come until late in the half. Peñarol had completed the job very well and were happy to play out the contest without looking to take risks. Etcheverry made it 38-5 with nine minutes remaining.
The teams traded tries in the final minutes to end the match on a high. Mariano Garcete dived over from a lineout. The night nonetheless belonged to Peñarol. Inciarte finished off the comprehensive win with his second score. Etcheverry then made it 7/7 from the boot.
The unbeaten Peñarol turn their attention to Selknam. Peãnrol travel to Santiago to face the Chileans next weekend. Yacare return to Paraguay to prepare to take-on the inconsistent Pampas next weekend in Asunción.
SCORING
PENAROL (45)
Try – M Diana (10′); T Inciarte 2 (12′, 79′); L Bianchi (18′); S Álvarez (40′); F Etcheverry (42′)
Con – F Etcheverry 6/6 (11′, 13′, 19′, 40′,43′, 80′)
Pen – F Etcheverry 1/1 (71′)
YACARE (12)
Try – E Gómez (2′); M Garcete (75′)
Con – E Gómez 1/2 (76′)
TEAMS
PENAROL
1 Matías Benítez, 2 Guillermo Pujadas, 3 Ignacio Peculo, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Eric Dosantos, 6 Manuel Ardao (capt.), 7 Carlos Deus, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Felipe Etcheverry, 11 Juan Manuel Alonso, 12 Juan Andrés Zuccarino, 13 Tomás Inciarte, 14 Gastón Mieres, 15 Rodrigo Silva
Replacements: 16 Emiliano Faccennini, 17 Mateo Perillo, 18 Diego Arbelo, 19 Juan Manuel Rodríguez, 20 Lucas Bianchi, 21 Juan Francisco Torres, 22 Guillermo Juan Storace, 23 Nicolás Conti
YACARE
1 Julián Martín, 2 Mariano Muntaner, 3 Estéfano Aranda, 4 Ignacio Martínez, 5 Mariano Garcete, 6 Felipe Villagrán, 7 Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel, 8 Marcos Riquelme, 9 Ignacio Inchauspe (capt.), 10 Estanislao Gómez, 11 Juan González, 12 Sebastián Urbieta, 13 Tomás Acosta Pimental, 14 Facundo Paiva, 15 Tomás Mac Call
Replacements: 16 Emilio Gorostiaga, 17 Camilo Blasco, 18 Rolando Portillo, 19 Álvaro Báez, 20 Carlos Plate, 21 Estanislao Presto, 22 Ramiro Amarilla, 23 Arturo López
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Nehuén Jauri Rivero (AR)
Assistant Referes: Luca Solda (AR); Gonzalo Ventoso (UY)
TMO: Alejandro Longres (UY)
