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All eyes will be on Asunción on Sunday. Yacare play host to Os Cobras in what is a must-win for both teams. On the one hand, the Paraguayan side need the points to remain in the play-off’s zone. On the other hand, the Brazilian team’s quest to secure a play-off’s birth means a win is essential.
Yacare indeed on holding on to 4th spot in the standings. They go in to the match with a powerful pack of forwards. RWC 2015 Puma Lucas Noguera Paz starts at loose head. He will be joined by Mariano Muntaner and Facundo Pomponio up front.
Paraguay’s leading forward is Mariano Garcete. He sarta alongside Ignacio Martínez in the second-row. The Argentine trio of Felipe Villagrán, Felipe Puertas, and Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel have all played well for Yacare this season.
Ignacio Inchauspe continues with the captain’s armband from scrum-half. He will kick the goals and have Federico Cacciabue running play outside him at fly half. Tomás Mac Call adds another dimension to the play-making from fullback. Center Ramiro Amarilla has been a breakthrough player this season.
Os Cobras have come close to treating the fixture as a test match. Twelve of the starting fifteen are Brazilian test players. It is an all-Tupis front-row with Levy Marinho, Endy Pinheiro, and Henrique Ferreira combining. Cleber Dias is joined by Argentine Lucio Anconetani in the second-row while Irishman Donnacha Byrne joins Matheus Cláudio and André Arruda in the back-row.
The backline features Argentine Facundo Villalba at scrum-half. The remaining players are Brazilians. Lucas Spago, Robert Tenório, and Lucas Tranquez will all have play-making responsibilities in the match. Os Cobras will be looking for Ariel Rodrigues to continue his fine form out wide.
There is a lot riding on the outcome of the match. With the American Raptors defeating Selknam Os Cobras can move up. A bonus point win would see them moving ups two spots. A Yacare victory would edge the team closer to securing a play-off’s birth.
TEAMS
YACARE
1 Lucas Noguera Paz, 2 Mariano Muntaner, 3 Facundo Pomponio, 4 Ignacio Martínez, 5 Mariano Garcete, 6 Felipe Villagrán, 7 Felipe Puertas, 8 Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel, 9 Ignacio Inchauspe (capt.), 10 Federico Cacciabue, 11 Arturo López, 12 Sebastián Urbieta, 13 Ramiro Amarilla, 14 Federico Gauna, 15 Tomás Mac Call
Replacements: 16 Julián Martín, 17 Emilio Gorostiaga, 18 Estéfano Aranda, 19 Álvaro Báez, 20 Marcos Riquelme, 21 Estanislao Pregot, 22 Juan David Agudelo, 23 Estanislao Gómez
COBRAS
1 Levy Marinho, 2 Endy Pinheiro, 3 Henrique Ferreira, 4 Cleber Dias, 5 Lucio Anconetani, 6 Donnacha Byrne, 7 Matheus Cláudio, 8 André Arruda, 9 Facundo Villalba, 10 Lucas Spago, 11 Ariel Rodrigues, 12 Robert Tenório, 13 Victor Silva, 14 Guillermo Coghetto, 15 Lucas Tranquez (capt.)
Replacements: 16 Diego Vidal, 17 Alexandre Alves, 18 Bautista Vidal, 19 Gabriel Paganini, 20 Adrio de Melo, 21 Douglas Rauth, 22 Felipe Gonçalves, 23 Alain Altahona
Date: Sunday, April 23
Kick-Off: 7pm (PY); 8pm (Brasília)
Venue: Héroes de Curupayty (Asunción, PY)
Referee: Damian Schneider (AR)
Assistant Referees: Adrián Bogado (PY); Luca Solda (AR)
TMO: Victor Silvero (PY)
HISTORIC RESULTS
March 05 2023 – Cobras 14-34 Yacare (São Paulo, BR)
May 10, 2022 – Cobras 36-25 Olímpia Lions (Montevideo, UY)
April 02, 2022 – Olímpia Lions 42-17 Cobras (Estadio 3 de Febrero, Ciudad del Este, PY)
April 20, 2021 – Olímpia Lions 19-15 Cobras (Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, UY)
March 25, 2021 – Cobras 8-44 Olímpia Lions (Estadio Elías Figueroa, Valparaiso, CL)
