Dogos defeat Pampas in thrilling SRA Semi Final

Argentina’s two professional rugby teams put on a thrilling match in Córdoba on Friday. The second Super Rugby Americas 2023 Semi Final was close. Ultimately, Los Dogos came through. The 27-16 win sees the Córdoba side setting up an Argentine-Uruguayan showdown. Peñarol were 30-17 winners over Yacare in the first Semi Final.

Joaquín de la Vega impressed early. The former Rugby ATL fly half got Los Pampas off to a 9-0 lead. Two early drop-goals and a penalty saw the Buenos Aires side looking good against a team they lost both regular season matches against as well as a warm-up.

Los Dogos came back from 9-0 with a bang. Two quick-fire tries gave the home side the lead. First, Leonardo Gea Salim ran an angle to combine tie Julián Hernández. Second, Juan Bautista Mernes barged over. Hernández kicked both for a 14-9 lead early in the second quarter.

Mernes’ try was particularly of note. It came from the kick-off. Lautaro Cipriani took the kick and burst  upfield. Quick hands and recycling resulted in the 20-year-old N8 scoring.

Los Pampas burst back to life in response. Following several minutes of raids, the visitors scored with Mateo Albanese sneaking over from a meter out. With his father looking on from the stands the question of will he be a Puma too was worth asking. Albanese organized play well and did so with Puma Eliseo Morales playing out of position at fullback.

de la Vega Mendía converted the score for a 16-14 lead. Ten minutes later the home side were back on top. Hernández slotted a penalty two minutes before the half-time siren.

Scoring in the second half was slow. A tight contest saw neither team scoring any third quarter points.  It took a special play from Agustín Moyano for the scoresheet to be troubled. The teenager twisted and turned to get past three defenders. A rampaging Gea Salim then called for a pass and went over. Hernández converted for an eight point lead with 11 minutes remaining.

Los Pampas were in no mood to be eliminated. With four minutes remaining, Joaquín Lamas went close to scoring before fellow replacement Lorenzo Colidio was held-up. Los Dogos held-on to clear their lines.

Juan Bautista Baronio ate up time with a penalty attempt three minutes from full-time. The promising young fly half slotted a long-range penalty from his favored side; to the right of the posts. In search of a late score, Los Pampas ought back. It was not to be as Los Dogos won with another jackal turnover.

Attention now turns to the final. SLAR 2022 champions Peñarol have home field advantage against Los Dogos. Interestingly, Los Dogos are undefeated against Los Pampas this year in four matches. Los Pampas are the only team to have a win over Peñarol, and, actually won both at home and away.

 

SCORING

DOGOS (27)
Try – L Gea Salim 2 (18′, 68′); JB Mernes (20′)
Con – J Hernández 3/3 (19′, 21′, 69′)
Pen – J Hernández 1/1 (38′); JB Baronio 1/1 (76′)

PAMPAS (16)
Try – M Albanese (31′)
Con – J de la Vega Mendía 1/1 (32′)
Pen – J de la Vege Mendía 1/1 (12′)
DG – J de la Vega Mendía 2/2 (3′, 14′)

 

TEAMS

DOGOS
1 Santiago Pulella, 2 Boris Wenger, 3 Octavio Filippa, 4 Gregorio Hernández, 5 Lautaro Simes, 6 Ignacio Gandini (capt.), 7 Efraín Elías, 8 Juan Bautista Mernes, 9 Agustín Moyano, 10 Julián Hernández, 11 Ernesto Giudice, 12 Leonardo Gea Salim, 13 Agustín Segura, 14 Lautaro Cipriani, 15 Mateo Soler

Replacements: Román Pretz, 17 Tomás Bartolini, 18 Octavio Barbatti, 19 Federico Albrisi, 20 Valentín Cabral, 21 Juan Cruz Strada, 22 Juan Bautista Baronio, 23 Faustino Sánchez Valarolo

PAMPAS
1 Javier Corvalán, 2 Ramiro Gurovich, 3 Javier Coronel, 4 Manuel Bernstein, 5 Eliseo Fourcade, 6 Nicolás D’Amorim, 7 Jerónimo Ureta, 8 Santiago Ruíz (capt.), 9 Mateo Albanese, 10 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía, 11 Juan Landó, 12 Manuel Alfaro, 13 Juan Pablo Castro, 14 Benjamín Elizalde, 15 Eliseo Morales

Replacements: 16 Valentino Minoyetti, 17 Matías Medrano, 18 Renzo Zanella, 19 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 20 Eliseo Chiavassa, 21 Rafael Iriarte, 22 Joaquín Lamas, 23 Lorenzo Colidio

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Francisco González (UY)
Assistant Referees: Tomás Bertazza (AR); Federico Solari (AR)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (UY)