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International competition between Paraguay and Belgium begins on Saturday in Asunción. The first-ever meting between the teams comes on the back of defeats for both teams last weekend. Belgium were battered and bruised by Chile and Paraguay were torn apart by Hong Kong.
The match is the second of three for the Europeans in South America. After facing Paraguay, Belgium will fly to São Paulo to face Brazil. In many ways it is a tour of exploration for Belgium, Hong Kong and both Paraguay and Brazil. Will some of these teams have what it takes to qualify for and compete at Rugby World Cup 2027?
| LINE-UP CHANGES |
1 Camilo Blasco replaces Cesar Pérez
3 Enrique Quinteros replaces Rolando Portillo
4 Alvaro Allo replaces Juan José Heisecke
1 Remi de Wolf replaces Bruno Vliegen
3 Samuel Opsomer replaces Basile van Parys
4 Maurice Fromont replaces Gillian Benoy,
5 Dries de Keyser, replaces Maximilien Hendrickx
6 William van Bost replaces Toon Deceunnick
7 Gillian Bonoy, replaces Toon Deceunnick
8 Paul Gerard replaces Lucas Rassinfosse
9 Timothé Rifon replaces Julien Berger
10 Matías Remue replaces Hugo de Francq
12 Victor Pazgrat replaces Jens Torfs
14 Lucas Michiels replaces Thomas Wallraf
15 Simeon Soenen replaces Matias Remue
| NOTES |
- The contest will begin international competition between Paraguay and Belgium.
- Belgium are ranked 28th in the world; Paraguay are 39th.
- Ricardo Le Fort has made three changes to the team that lost heavily to Hong Kong.
- Gonzalo Camusio will debut for Paraguay as a replacement.
- Hooker Jordi Chávez, flanker Alvaro Allo and center Ramiro Amarilla earn their second caps.
- Amarilla, Arturo López, Gianfranco Parodi and Diego Miño are from Argentina.
- Belgium has made 12 changes from the side that lost 33-5 to Chile.
- The match will be streamed live on youtube.com/@SomosGEN
- Bilingual officiating will feature calls for Paraguay in Spanish and for Belgium in English.
| PREDICTION |
Paraguay and Belgium are both coming off matches to forget quickly. Both teams will be analyzing the footage carefully; notwithstanding, neither side played to their potential. Belgium upset Portugal earlier this year while Paraguay had a win over the Chile XV in 2023. Bouncing back from the frustrations will be central to laying the basis for a win in Asunción. ARN projects Belgium to win by +22 points.
| LINEUPS |
PARAGUAY
1 Camilo Blasco, 2 Jordi Chávez, 3 Enrique Quinteros, 4 Ignacio Martínez, 5 Mariano Garcete (capt.), 6 Alvaro Allo, 7 Ariel Núñez, 8 Mateo Rodríguez, 9 Gonzalo Bareiro, 10 Sebastian Urbieta, 11 Juan González, 12 Rafael Barreiro, 13 Ramiro Amarilla, 14 Gianfranco Parodi, 15 Arturo López
Replacements: 16 Cesar Pérez, 17 Daniel Cabral, 18 Estefano Aranda, 19 Adrian León, 20 Gonzalo Camusio, 21 Diego Miño, 22 Hector Gayoso, 23 Tomás Mussi
BELGIUM
1 Remi de Wolf, 2 Alexandre Raynier, 3 Samuel Opsomer, 4 Maurice Fromont, 5 Dries de Keyser, 6 William van Bost, 7 Gillian Bonoy, 8 Paul Gerard, 9 Timothé Rifon, 10 Matías Remue, 11 Dazzy Cornez, 12 Victor Pazgrat, 13 Forian Remue, 14 Lucas Michiels, 15 Simeon Soenen
Replacements: 16 Lucas Sottau, 17 Malcolm Huppermans, 18 Basile van Parys, 19 Maximilien Hendrickx, 20 Nestor Jendrain, 21 Curtis Moucheron, 22 Jens Torfs, 23 Hugo de Francq
| MATCH DETAILS |
Date: Saturday, July 20
Venue: Estadio Héroes de Curupayty, (Asunción, PY)
Kickoff: Saturday 8pm (PY); Sunday 12am (BE)
Weather Forecast: Clear Skies; 26 (Celsius); Wind 8 km/h
| MATCH OFFICIALS |
Referee: Mauro Rossi (Argentina)
Assistants: Juan Martínez (Argentina); Juan Sebastián Maio (Argentina)
| HISTORY |
N/A
