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Los Pampas were 38-20 winners over Os Cobras on Saturday in Jacareí. The bonus point road victory sees the Buenos Aires side sitting very comfortable at the midway stage of Super Rugby Americas 2024. The team is now leading the competition for the first time this season.
Os Cobras scored the opening points. Fly half João Amaral slotted a long-range penalty. The strong start presented a second opportunity only, this time, Os Cobras went for an attacking lineout. Los Pampas stole the throw-in and got out of the danger zone.
The Argentines then claimed the lead in the 12th minute and held it for the duration of the contest. The lead came with the opening try of the match. Joaquín de la Vega Mendía put Santiago Pernas into a half-gap which he accepted by accelerating through and finding Benjamín Elizalde to finish off a fabulous try.
Elizalde was a star for Los Pampas with two tries. Other notable performers were flanker Nicolás D’Amorim and center Bruno Heit. The trio all look like potential Pumas in waiting. Heit also bagged a double. His first score came seven minutes after Elizalde’s.
From a scrum de la Vega Mendía chipped over the defense. Heit chased, picked up and scored in the left corner. The conversion gave Los Pampas a 14-3 lead a the end of the opening quarter. Os Cobras responded by turning luck into a five-pointer. Soccer skills from Daniel Lima saw the northern Brazilian providing an assist for Lorenzo Massari Temer 50 meters up field.
Third quarter tries to Juan Pablo Castro and Santiago Pernas gave Los Pampas a guaranteed victory and the bonus point. There was still plenty of time for Os Cobras to try to also secure a bonus point. They came close as Argentina Agustín Llano and Brazilian prop Henrique Ferreira both scored.
At the other end of the field, Los Pampas also scored twice in the final quarter; Elizalde and Heit both completed their doubles. The final score favored the Buenos Aires side by 18 points.
Next up for Los Pampas is a home match against Yacare. Os Cobras hit the road to face the struggling champions Peñarol. The Brazilian franchise will be chasing an unlikely double; Os Cobras upset Peñarol in the season opener.
| SCORING |
COBRAS (20)
Try (3) – L Massari Temer (35′); A Llano (70′); H Ferreira (75′)
Con (1) – J Amaral (70′)
Pen (1) – J Amaral (2′)
YC (1)- EW Pinheiro (29′)
PAMPAS (38)
Try (6)- B Elizalde 2 (12′, 80′); B Heit 2 (19′, 73′); JP Castro (43′); S Pernas (53′)
Con (4) – J de la Vega Mendía (12′, 21′, 54′, 75′)
| LINEUPS |
COBRAS
1 Luciano Gabellieri, 2 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 3 Francisco Moreno, 4 Franco Carrera, 5 Cleber Dias (capt.), 6 Rafael Teixeira, 7 Adrio de Melo, 8 André Arruda, 9 Felipe Gonçalves, 10 João Amaral, 11 Daniel Lima, 12 Robert Tenório, 13 Lorenzo Massari Temer, 14 Ariel Rodrigues, 15 Agustin Llano
Replacements: 16 Henrique Ferreira, 17 Levy Marinho, 18 José Santucho, 19 Gabriel Paganini, 20 Ben Donald, 21 Maiki Santos, 22. Lucas Spago, 23 Luca Mignot
PAMPAS
1 Matías Medrano, 2 Ramiro Gurrovich, 3 Estanislao Carullo, 4 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 5 Marcelo Toledo, 6 Manuel Bernstein (capt.), 7 Nicolás D’Amorim, 8 Joaquín Moro, 9 Ignacio Inchauspe, 10 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía, 11 Bernabé López Fleming, 12 Juan Pablo Castro, 13 Bruno Heit, 14 Santiago Pernas, 15 Benjamín Elizalde
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Bottazzini, 17 Javier Corvalán, 18 Javier Coronel, 19 Mateo Lorenzo, 20 Tomás Bernasconi, 21 Simón Cruz Benítez, 22 Marcos Eliçagaray, 23 Jerónimo Ulloa
| MATCH HIGHLIGHTS |
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Juan Manuel López (AR)
Assistants: Juan Maio (AR); Guilherme Zaparoli (BR)
TMO: Víctor Barboza (BR)
