Paraguay Show Great Improvement in Loss to Belgium

Paraguay showed great improvement against Belgium on Saturday. A week on from the disaster against Hong Kong in Asunción, Los Yacarés put on a far more competitive match. The Diables Noirs / Zwarte Duivells (Black Devils) were 45-20 winners on Saturday evening.

Los Yacarés enjoyed a dream start at the Estadio Héroes de Curupayty. Playing with width saw Juan González burst down the left touchline to score in the second minute of play. Sebatián Urbieta missed the wide conversion attempt.

The Diables Noirs / Zwarte Duivells also scored an early try. They had an attacking lineout and looked to maul their way over. Hooker Alexandre Raynier touched down from the line out to maul try.

Paraguay quickly reclaimed the lead. Urbieta slotted a penalty for an 8-7 scoreline in the 10th minute. Belgium again hit-back smartly. Raynier scored his second with another push-over try for a maul. The conversion was again good and Belgium were out to a six point lead.

The momentum was with Belgium. Fly half Matías Remue scored an impressive solo try, doing so with the defense unable to watch him as well as center Forian Remue, and fullback Simeon Soenen. It put the Diables Noirs / Zwarte Duivells 21-8 up in the 17th minute.

Belgium added three points with a penalty before os Yacarés scored their second try of the match. As was the case for the first Paraguayan try, the second featured the strength of the forwards from close to the line. Urbeita converted to cut the deficit to nine points.

While Paraguay was matching Belgium in the forwards the Diables Noirs / Zwarte Duivells backs played with a superior skill-set and execution. Belgium scored two tries in the 46th and 54th minutes and another in the 59th. The third went to Matías Remue who was the star of the match for Belgium. Jen Torfs converted for a 45-15 lead.

Paraguay ended the match on a high. Los Yacarés went over for a third try of the match with fullback Arturo López scoring in the final minute.

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 VIDEO

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Mauro Rossi (Argentina)
Assistants: Juan Martínez (Argentina); Juan Sebastián Maio (Argentina)