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The Americans Raptors have back-to-back wins in Super Rugby Americas. The victims have been Os Cobras and now Yacare who lost 35-33 on Sunday. Infinity Park has given the Raptors an unbeaten home venue thus far in 2024.
It was supposed to be a walk-in for Yacare; a gift four points on the road. On the one hand, the Raptors were easy-beats in South America earlier on in the season. On the other hand, Yacare is a form side. A win would hav given the Paraguayan side top spot in the standings.
It was cold in Denver and it rained. The match was disrupted for over half an hour due to a thunder storm. However, the rugby played was wonderful with both teams running in impressive tries.
It is not often that a tam has a bonus point secured before half-time yet goes on to los the contest. This was the case in Denver. Felipe Puertas’ 30th minute try was the fourth score for Yacare. The bonus point was guaranteed yet the result went the other way.
Amazingly, Puertas’ try was the sixth in the match. Thomas Morani scored from a set-piece-move after just five minutes, doing so following Ezequiel Reyes’ yellow card. Yacare rain in three before the Raptors added their second; the red-hot Yacare scored through scrum-half Juan Cruz Strada, and wingers Arturo López and Juan González. Both wingers’ tries came with excellent assists from Joaquín Lamas.
Yacare went in to the match with the worst disciplinary record; no teams had received more yellow cards. The team came out of the match with this retained as Reyes was joined by two others.
The American Raptors’ second try came in the 27th minute; Uruguayan Diego Magno scored beside the posts. Cian Barry converted it as he did all of the Raptors’ tries. This was ultimately what separated the teams as they both ran in five tire but Yacare fly half Joaquín Lamas was 4/5 at goal from conversion attempts.
Yacare were well positioned at half-time. Notwithstanding, the thunder and lightening caused great interruptions. When the rugby finally resumed, the Raptors started very well indeed. Watson Filikitonga fooled the defense to avoid a two-man tackle and run in. He waved good-bye to the defense upon diving over.
Axel Zapata hit-back for Yacare to cancel out the try. It was the last time that Yacare scored and the team subsequently played two ten minute periods with a player off the field. Jacob Hidalgo’s try on 51 minutes ensured that the contest was far from over.
A long scoreless period followed; neither team looked capable of breaking the other team’s defensive line. This ended five route from full-time when replacement flanker Tommy Clark dotted down under the posts for the Raptors. The conversion put the team ahead.
A late penalty was off-target but it mattered not as Yacare knocked-on inside their own 22 while looking to run the ball out. The Raptors celebrated the win; it moves them into a historic best 5th position. The Colorado side is now above Os Cobras and Selknam.
| SCORING |
RAPTORS (35)
Try (5) – T Morani (5′); D Magno (27′) W Filikitonga (42′); J Hidalgo (51′); T Clark (75′)
Con (5) – C Barry (6′, 28′, 43′, 52′, 76′)
YACARE (33)
Try (5) – JC Strada (11′); A López (20′); J González (24′); F Puertas (30′); A Zapata (47′)
Con (4) – J Lamas (12′, 21′, 31′, 48′)
YC (3) – E Reyes (3′); R Moyano (55′); A Zapata (68′)
| LINEUPS |
RAPTORS
1 Ma’ake Muti, 2 Diego Fortuny (capt.), 3 Facundo Pomponio, 4 Javon Camp-Villalovos, 5 Will Crawford, 6 Mo Vaniolo, 7 Aidan Christians, 8 Diego Magno, 9 John Lefevre, 10 Rufus McLean, 11 Jacob Hidalgo, 12 Watson Fikitonga, 13 Thomas Morani, 14 Daytwon Sheridan, 15 Cian Barry
Replacements: 16 Jackson Zabierek, 17 Clay Markoff, 18 Justus Tavai, 19 Tommy Clark, 20 Shawn Clark, 21 Devereaux Ferris, 22 Aki Pulu, 23 Francisco Quinn
YACARE
1 Ezequiel Reyes, 2 Axel Zapata, 3 Enrique Quinteros, 4 Ignacio Martínez, 5 Mariano Garcete (capt.), 6 Juan Pérez Rachel, 7 Felipe Puertas 8 Nicolás Parada Heit, 9 Juan Cruz Strada, 10 Joaquín Lamas, 11 Juan González, 12 Sebastián Urbieta, 13 Ramiro Amarilla, 14 Arturo López, 15 Ramiro Moyano
Replacements: 16 Lucas Otãno, 17 Daniel Cabral, 18 Rodolfo Rivadeneira, 19 Lucio Anconetani, 20 Ariel Núñez 21 Gonzalo Barreiro, 22 Joaquín Mussi, 23 Tomás Vanni
| MATCH HIGHLIGHTS |
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Francisco González (UY)
Assistants: Tomas Bertazza; Morris Fuller
TMO: Chris O’Malley
