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A competitive contest went the way of Los Dogos on Friday. With home support to cheer them on, the Córdoba side withstood the ferocious sting of Os Cobras to claim a hard-fought victory. The 45-29 win was come-from-behind.
The venom of Os Cobras attacked early. Ariel Rodrigues sprinted into the try zone from an interception to open the scoring. His early score was responded to by his opposite. Mateo Soler scored in the first of three tries. The teenager went on to score a hat-trick.
Soler’s 12th minute try came from good ruck work. Fullback Julián Hernández converted to give Los Dogos the lead. The fierceness of the opening quarter saw aggression from forwards on both teams. The home side put together some good phases from which Agustín Moyano scooted over to score from scrum-half.
The 14-5 advantage would eroded way quickly. Os Cobras were on top in the second quarter. New Zealand-Ireland connection saw Ben Donald and Donnacha Byrne in the try zone. Byrne’s try was verified by the TMO.
Following a telling-off at half-time, Los Dogos came out firing. Leandro Get Salim continued his outstanding Super Rugby Americas 2023 season. His 44th minute try was converted by Hernández.
Lucas Tranquez responded for his team. Os Cobras’ captain landed a penalty, the only one of the match. Momentum swung back to way of Los Dogos. It was at this time that Soler impressed the most. He went over for two tries in five minutes.
His match ended with a yellow card seven minutes before full-time. Byrne capitalized to score his second try of the match. With it Los Dogos’ lead was now just 2 points. The 31-29 advantage set-up an exciting final five minutes of play.
Los Dogos did not concede further points; rather, the Córdoba side ran in two of their own. Efraín Elías and Franco Giudice went over to complete a 16 point win and ensure the maximum five competition points.
Los Dogos gained full points from the home win. The men from Córdoba are top of Super Rugby Americas 2023 with 31 competition points. Os Cobras are 6th after eight rounds of the season.
Attention now turns to Peñarol and Yacare. The Uruguayans face Yacare on Saturday in Asunción and host Los Dogos next weekend. Os Cobras face Yacare new Sunday.
SCORING
DOGOS (45)
Try – M Soler 3 (12′, 52′, 57′); A Moyano (19′); L Gea Salim (44′); E Elías (77′); F Giudice (80′)
Con – J Hernández 6/7 (13′, 20′, 44′, 78′, 80′)
YC – M Soler (73′)
COBRAS (29)
Try – A Rodrigues (5′); B Donald (34′); D Byrne 2 (40′, 74′)
Con – L Tranquez 3/4 (34′, 40′, 74′)
Pen – L Tranquez 1/1 (49′)
YC – A Rodrigues (43′); L Anconetani (55′)
TEAMS
DOGOS
1 Santiago Pulella, 2 Boris Wenger, 3 Octavio Filippa, 4 Lautaro Simes, 5 Franco Molina (capt.), 6 Aitor Bildosola, 7 Efraín Elías, 8 Ignacio Gandini, 9 Agustín Moyano, 10 Juan Bautista Baronio, 11 Lautaro Cipriani, 12 Leandro Gea Salim, 13 Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, 14 Mateo Soler, 15 Julián Hernández
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Román Pretz, 17 Octavio Barbatti, 18 Ramiro Valdés, 19 Gregório Hernández, 20 Manuel Todaro, 21 Juan Cruz Lovel, 22 Franco Giudice, 23 Agustín Segura
COBRAS
1 Brendon Alves, 2 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 3 Bautista Vidal, 4 Ben Donald, 5 Lucio Anconetani, 6 Cleber Dias, 7 Matheus Cláudio, 8 Donnacha Byrne, 9 Facundo Villalba, 10 Lucas Spago, 11 Ariel Rodrigues, 12 Robert Tenório, 13 Nicolás Cantarutti, 14 Alain Altahona, 15 Lucas Tranquez (capt.)
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Diego Vidal, 17 Alexandre Alves, 18 Henrique Ferreira, 19 Gabriel Paganini, 20 André Arruda, 21 Douglas Rauth, 22 Victor Guilherme Silva, 23 Guilherme Coghetto
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Nehuén Jauri Rivero (AR)
ASSISTANT REFEREES: Juan Manuel López (AR); Federico Longobardi (AR)
TMO: Gustavo Paulín (AR)
