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Super Rugby Americas has a new champion. The trophy was won by Los Dogos. The Córdoba side put on a spectacular second-half to outperform the hosts and favorites. The combination of a strong scrum and the exceptional injection of Juan Bautista Baronio saw Los Pampas conquered in the final.
It lived up to the billing of a final. The first-half was intense and the opening quarter explosive. Fly halves Julián Hernández and Joaquín de la Vega Mendía exchanged early penalties.
Both teams then scored through the big men. The formula of lineout to maul saw Aitor Bildosola one for Los Dogos and Javier Corvalán for Los Dogos. The second try came 18 minutes into the final.
A potential turning point came from the re-start. Lautaro Simes appears in trouble for colliding with a player in the air. However, the TMO carefully analyses the collision and made the correct decision, thus no red card was given.
Now a man up, it was time for Los Pampas to pounce. They looked to do so with de la Vega Mendía off-loading in contact. It was well read by Los Dogos’ defense. Flanker Valentín Cabral intercepted and ran 70 meters to score.
The lead change hands again seven minutes from full-time. de la Vega slotted a penalty for a 16-15 lead. The one point lead saw an additional factors em to favor the Buenos Aires side as Julián Hernández was replaced late in the first-half.
The knock to Hernández gave Juan Bautista Baronio an opportunity to shine and that he did. Baronio scored 15 points to put Los Dogos in total control as the second-half played out.
Baronio’s points came from good play from the forwards. Hooker Tomás Bartolini was a menace at the breakdown, winning multiple penalties. Meanwhile, the scrum was deadly. Baronio outperformed his duties as he slotted penalties from lone range.
It was 30-16 with ten minutes left to play. A yellow card to center Leonardo Gea Salim gave the home side some hope, though the scrum was so impressive that Damián Schneider continued to blow penalties against Los Pampas.
A penalty try two minutes from full-time sealed the win; Los Dogos were celebrating there and then. Facundo Scaiano hit-back with a consolation score for the home side. Los Pampas were well beaten and Franco Molina deservedly lifted the SRA Trophy.
Attention now turns to the July Internationals. Molina’s name is expected to be on Felipe Contpomi’s roster. He is not expect to be alone; indeed, there could well be five or more SRA players on the roster for July. Others will also be involved for the Argentina XV.
| SCORING |
PAMPAS (23)
Try – J Corvalán (18′), F Scaiano (80′)
Con – J de la Vega Mendía (19′)
Pen – J de la Vega Mendía (8′, 25′, 33′)
DOGOS (37)
Try (3) – A Bildosola (13′), V Cabral (28′), Penalty Try (77′)
Con (2) – J Hernández (14′), No Kick (77′)
Pen (6) – J Hernández (5′), JB Baronio 5 (44′, 48′, 52′, 66′, 69′)
YC (1) – L Simes (27′), L Gea Salim (70′)
| LINEUPS |
PAMPAS
1 Javier Corvalan, 2 Ramiro Gurovich, 3 Estanislao Carullo, 4 Eliseo Fourcade, 5 Marcelo Toledo, 6 Manuel Berenstein (capt.), 7 Nicolás D’Amorim, 8 Joaquín Moro, 9 Ignacio Inchauspe, 10 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía, 11 Jerónimo Ulloa, 12 Justo Piccardo, 13 Juan Pablo Castro, 14 Santiago Pernas, 15 Benjamín Elizalde
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Bottazzini, 17 Facundo Scaiano, 18 Javier Coronel, 19 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 20 Santiago Montagner, 21 Simón Benítez Cruz, 22 Manuel Nogués, 23 Bruno Heit
DOGOS
1 Boris Wenger, 2 Tomás Bartolini, 3 Octavio Filippa, 4 Lautaro Simes, 5 Franco Molina (capt.), 6 Aitor Bildosola, 7 Valentín Cabral, 8 Efraín Elías, 9 Agustín Moyano, 10 Julián Hernández, 11 Felipe Mallía, 12 Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, 13 Leonardo Gea Salim, 14 Lautaro Cipriani, 15 Mateo Soler
Replacements: 16 Santos Juárez Estrada, 17 Francisco Aguirre, 18 Pedro Ibáñez Delgado, 19 Lorenzo Colidio, 20 Facundo Cardozo, 21 Agustín De Vertiz, 22 Juan Bautista Baronio, 23 Agustín Segura
| MATCH HIGHLIGHTS |
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Damián Schneider (AR)
Assistants: Tomas Bertazza (AR); Jauri Rivero (AR)
TMO: Lucas Galán (AR)
