Super Rugby Americas 2024 – Cobras vs Raptors – ARN Guide

Os Cobras play host to the American Raptors on Saturday. The battle will be the final Super Rugby Americas match in Brazil for the year. It is between two sides who will not be involved in the play-off’s; yet, it is a key fixture. The battle to avoid the wooden spoon is very much alive.

CURRENT STANDINGS

2-8-0 (L3) Last
2-7-0 (L4) 6th

LINE-UP CHANGES

– 2 Henrique Ferreira replaces Endy Willian Pinheiro
– 7 Matheus Cláudio replaces Rafael Teixeira
– 14 Robson Morais replaces Daniel Lima

– 3 Koby Baker replaces Facundo Pamponio 
– 5 Mikey Grandy replaces Javon Camp-Villalovos
– 7 Tommy Clark replaces Mo Vainikolo
– 9 John Lefevre replaces Devereaux Ferris

CLUB DEBUTS

– Hélder Bryan Lúcio
– (0)

SUPER RUGBY AMERICAS DEBUTS

– Hélder Bryan Lúcio
– (0)

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

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

(18) – H Ferreira, G Paganini,  R Teixeira, C Días, M Cláudio, A Arruda, F Gonçalves, L Tranquez, A Rodrigues, R Tenório, L Massari Temer, R Morais, EW Pinheiro, L Marinho, G Paganini, A de Melo, L Spago, J Amaral

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Pedro Aparecido, Daniel Lima
– Facundo Pomponio (AR)

NOTES

• The Raptors were 29-21 winners over Os Cobras in Denver earlier on in the season.
• The teams split the results in 2023.
• Saturday’s match is also about pride; the mission is to avoid the wooden spoon.
• Raptors rank last for tries scored with 15 for the season. Os Cobras have 18.
• Os Cobras have the worst lineout in SRA 2024 with a 74% success rate on own throws.
• Facundo Pomponio misses out after a red card last weekend.

PREDICTION

The American Raptors are on a four match losing streak. Os Cobras have lost their past three. Both sides have two wins this year The Brazilian side knocked over Peñarol home and away while the U.S. side defeated Yacare and Os Cobras. In addition to having the wood over the opposition; as a team, the Raptors have played better rugby in 2024 and are fresher. ARN projects a Raptors road victory by +12 points.

LINEUPS

COBRAS
1 Luciano Gabelliere, 2 Henrique Ferreira, 3 Francisco Moreno, 4 Franco Carrera, 5 Gabriel Oliveira, 6 Cleber Días (capt.) 7 Matheus Cláudio, 8 André Arruda, 9 Felipe Gonçalves, 10 Lucas Tranquez, 11 Ariel Rodrigues, 12 Robert Tenório, 13 Lorenzo Massari Temer, 14 Robson Morais, 15 Agustín Llano

Replacements: 16 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 17 Levy Marinho, 18 Hélder Bryan Lúcio, 19 Gabriel Paganini, 20 Adrio de Melo, 21 Rafael Teixeira, 22 Lucas Spago, 23 João Amaral

RAPTORS
1 Ma’ake Muti, 2 Diego Fortuny (capt.), 3 Koby Baker, 4 Will Crawford, 5 Mikey Grandy, 6 Shawn Clark, 7 Tommy Clark, 8 Diego Magno, 9 John Lefevre, 10 Ignacio Mieres, 11 Francisco Quinn, 12 Aki Pulu, 13 Tomi Morani, 14 Jacob Hidalgo, 15 Rufus McLean

Replacements: 16 Jackson Zabierek, 17 Clay Markoff, 18 Justus Tavai, 19 Tavius Sykora-Matthess, 20 Watson Filikitonga, 21 Devereaux Ferris, 22 Zach Hall, 23 Daytwon Sheridan

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, May 11
Venue: Poliesportivo Municipal Du Cambuzano (Jacareí, BR)
Kickoff: 1:30pm; (Brasília); 10:30am(MST)
Weather Forecast: Sunny 32°C; wind (8 km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN; Star +

OFFICIALS

Referee: Frank Méndez (CL)
Assistants: Simón Larrubia (AR); Lucas Saccomanno (AR)
TMO: Victor Hugo Barboza (BR)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (3) – Raptors 2, Cobras 1, STREAK Raptors +2
Mar 17, 2024 – Raptors 29-21 Cobras (Denver, CO)
May 28, 2023 – Cobras 34-28 Raptors (São Paulo, BR)
Apr 02, 20-23 – Raptors 40-43 Cobras (Denver, CO)