Super Rugby Americas 2024 – Raptors vs Cobras – ARN Guide

In the first Sunday match-up of Super Rugby Americas 2024, the American Raptors take on Os Cobras. The match is key both both as they look to claim critical competition points. For supporters it is a must-watch; the two matches in 2023 between the sides were high-scoring thrillers with the teams both winning away.

CLUB DEBUTS

(1) – Ignacio Mieres
(2) Nassor Lukata; Widzon Menezes

SUPER RUGBY AMERICAS DEBUTS

(1) Ignacio Mieres
(2) Nassor Lukata; Widzon Menezes

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(5) – D Fortuny (AR), D Magno (UY), I Mieres (AR), R McLean (SC), D Ferris (US)

(14) – H Ferreira (BR), G Paganini (BR),  R Teixeira (BR), P Aparecido (BR), D Rauth (BR), L Tranquez (BR), R Morais (BR), V Silva (BR), S Luna (BR), L Spago (BR), L Souza (BR), L Marinho (BR), B Donald (BR), A Altahona (CO)

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Zach Hall, Aki Pulu, Francisco Quinn (AR)
– EW Pinheiro, C Dias, A Arruda, A de Melo, J Amaral, L Massari Temer, R Tenório, A Llano (AR)

NOTES

• The Colorado team is no longer under the command of David Butcher. He coached the team in the three matches thus far in Super Rugby Americas 2024, with the team losing to the Dogos, Pampas, and Peñarol.
• The Raptors failed to obtain a proper work visa for Butcher and for assistant coach Cory Hector.
• Former Puma Ignacio Mieres debuts for the Raptors. He has played in England and France’s elite.
• The explosive winger Daytwon Sheridan is included for the first time this year.
• Scrum-half Nassor Lukata and winger Widson Menezes will both debut as replacements.
• Veteran Gabriel Paganini returns from injury to captain Os Cobras.
• A Brazilian prospect, via ancestry, is on tour but will not play. Australian prop Jack Forbes will need to wait for his debut.
• Cobras have made wholesale changes. Of the side that was humbled by Yacare only Lucas Tranquez, Douglas Rauth and Argentines Luciano Gabelliere, Francisco Moreno and Franco Carrera start again. Tranquez moves from fullback to fly half.

PREDICTION

The American Raptors enter the match behind the ball-game. The change in coaches will be a huge obstacle for the players to overcome. Notwithstanding, the recent performances of Os Cobras have been poor; they are the ideal opponent for the Raptors at this point in time. Os Cobras enter as favorites to win a potentially high-scoring match. 

LINEUPS

RAPTORS
1 Ma’ake Muti, 2 Diego Fortuny (capt.), 3 Facundo Pomponio, 4 Will Crawford, 5 Mikey Grandy, 6 Shawn Clark, 7 Mo Vaniolo, 8 Diego Magno, 9 John Lefevre, 10 Ignacio Mieres, 11 Jacob Hidalgo, 12 Watson Fikitonga, 13 Thomas Morani, 14 Daytwon Sheridan, 15 Rufus McLean

Replacements: 16 Jackson Zabierek, 17 Clay Markoff, 18 Justus Tavai, 19 Tommy Clark, 20 Aidan Christians, 21 Devereaux Ferris, 22 Feofaaki Pulu, 23 Cian Barry

 

COBRAS
1 Luciano Gabelliere, 2 Henrique Ferreira, 3 Francisco Moreno, 4 Franco Carrera, 5 Gabriel Paganini (capt.), 6 Maiki Lemes, 7 Rafael Teixeira, 8 Pedro Aparecido, 9 Douglas Rauth, 10 Lucas Tranquez, 11 Robson Morais, 12 Victor Silva, 13 Joel Júnior, 14 Sérgio Luna, 15 Lucas Spago

Replacements: 16 Leonardo Souza, 17 Levy Marinho, 18 José Santucho, 19 Ben Donald, 20 Renato Santos, 21 Nassor Lukata, 22 Alain Altahona, 23 Widson Menezes

MATCH INFO

Date: Sunday, March 17
Venue: Infinity Park, Denver, Colorado (US)
Kickoff: 4pm (MST); 7pm (Brasília)
Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy 8°C; wind (3-11 km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN; Star +

OFFICIALS

Referee: Pablo Deluca (AR)
Assistants: Federico Solari; Khalil Harrison
TMO: Chris O’Malley

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (2) – Raptors 1, Cobras 1, STREAK Raptors +1
May 28, 2023 – Cobras 34-28 Raptors (São Paulo, BR)
Apr 02, 20-23 – Raptors 40-43 Cobras (Denver, CO)