Super Rugby Americas 2023 – Yacare vs Peñarol – ARN Guide

Yacare play host to Peñarol in Asunción on Saturday. The battle sees 4th hosting 2nd in a match-up that is vital to both teams. Yacare are fighting to hold their spot in the play-off’s zone while Peñarol are looking to edge towards a home Semi Final.

Peñarol were highly impressive in their encounter earlier this season. The Uruguayans were 45-12 winners at home. The win came despite Peñarol losing Manuel Ardao, Eric Dosantos and Ignacio Dotti to injuries in the opening quarter.

Yacare have gone big for Peñarol. A titanic front-row consisting of three Argentines, including a Puma, will pack down. Props Lucas Noguera Paz and Facundo Pomponio will be excellent opponents for the Peñarol players pressing for World Cup selection.

The exciting young Felipe Puertas and Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel start as the flankers. They are additional names to test their Uruguayan opponents. Meanwhile, Paraguayan Marcos Riquelme will be up against the leading player in Super Rugby Americas at the back of the scrum.

Yacare are again to be led by Ignacio Inchauspe from scrum-half. He will be partnered in the halves by Federico Cacciabue and have two additional play makers starting. They are Sebastián Urbieta at inside center and Tomás Mac Call at fullback. Center Ramiro Amarilla has been a handful for the opposition this year.

The Yacare replacements contains Colombian Juan David Agudelo. Colombians have been itching to see their countrymen feature for Yacare in Super Rugby Americas 2023. There is also a first opportunity for Estanislao Pregot.

Peñarol has the all test front-row of Matías Benítez, Guillermo Pujadas, and Ignacio Peculo. The young Juan Manuel Rodríguez and Felipe Aliaga will have the opportunity in the second-row. The back-row is all class with  Carlos Deus, Lucas Bianchi and Manuel Diana starting.

The form halves combination in Super Rugby Americas remain unchanged. Santiago Álvarez and Felipe Etcheverry will start again. Etcheverry will have the assistance of a second play-maker with Juan Andrés Zuccarino starting at inside center. The speedy Juan Manuel Alonso joins veterans Gastón Mieres and Rodrigo Silva in the back-three.

The match is to be the 6th overall between Peñarol and the professional Paraguayan rugby team. The first four fixtures were Peñarol against the Olímpia Lions. Olímpia claimed a 15-13 home win over Peñarol in March 2022. The teams battle it out again thirteen months on. This time the stakes are higher.

TEAMS

PENAROL
1 Matías Benítez, 2 Guillermo Pujadas, 3 Ignacio Peculo, 4 Juan Manuel Rodríguez, 5 Felipe Aliaga, 6 Carlos Deus, 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Felipe Etcheverry (capt.), 11 Juan Manuel Alonso, 12 Juan Andrés Zuccarino, 13 Tomás Inciarte, 14 Gastón Mieres, 15 Rodrigo Silva

Replacements: 16 Emiliano Faccnnini, 17 Mateo Sanguinetti, 18 Reinaldo Piussi, 19 Agustín Morales, 20 Manuel Rosmarino, 21 Santiago del Cerro, 22 Juan Francisco Torres, 23 Guillermo Juan Storace

YACARE
1 Lucas Noguera Paz, 2 Mariano Muntaner, 3 Facundo Pomponio, 4 Ignacio Martínez, 5 Mariano Garcete, 6 Felipe Puertas, 7 Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel, 8 Marcos Riquelme, 9 Ignacio Inchauspe (capt.) 10 Federico Cacciabue, 11 Juan González, 12 Sebastián Urbieta, 13 Ramiro Amarilla, 14 Arturo López, 15 Tomás Mac Call

Replacements: 16 Julián Martín, 17 Emilio Gorostiaga, 18 Rolando Portillo, 19 Álvaro Báez, 20 Juan Camilo Pacheco, 21 Estanislao Pregot, 22 Estanislao Gómez 23 Juan David Agudelo

Date: Saturday April 15
Kick-Off: 8pm (UY; PY)
Venue: Héroes de Curupayty (Asunción, PY)
Referee: Tomás Bertazza (AR)
Assistant Referees: Federico Solari (AR); Adrian Bogado (PY)
TMO: Victor Silvero (PY)
Broadcast: ESPN; Star +

HISTORIC RESULTS
March 17, 2023 – Peñarol 45-12 Yacare (Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, UY)
May 04, 2022 – Peñarol 42-14 Olímpia Lions (Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, UY)
March 27, 2022 – Olímpia Lions 15-13 Peñarol (Héroes de Curupayty, Asunción, PY)
April 11, 2021 – Peñarol 29-10 Olímpia Lions (Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, UY)
March 16, 2021 – Olímpia Lions 11-40 Peñarol (Estadio Nacional, Santiago, CL)