SRA 2025 – Cobras vs Selknam – ARN Guide

Two teams who were on the losing end in round one square off in Brazil in round two. Os Cobras have home advantage against Selknam. It is a must-watch encounter for all interested in Rugby World Cup 2027 Qualifiers; Brazil and Chile will compete in two matches in July to determine who advances to the South American Final. Os Cobras and Selknam provide the backbones of Brazil and Chile’s respective Men’s rugby teams.

 

ROUND ONE – RESULTS

45-06

29-26

STARTING CHANGES

1 Aquiles Schulte replaces Brendon Alves
2 Henrique Ribeiro replaces Endy Willian Pinheiro
4 Cleber Dias moves from 8; replaces Ben Donald
5 Helder Souza replaces Gabriel Oliveira
7 Adrio Melo replaces Renato Santos
8 André Arruda replaces Cleber Dias
9 Rodrigo Santos replaces Lucas Spago
11 Robert Tenório moves from 12; replaces Andrei Santana
12 Lorenzo Massari Temer moves from 13; replaces Robert Tenório
13 Fernando Lima replaces Lorenzo Massari Temer
15 João do Amaral replaces Lucas Tranquez

2 Raimundo Martínez moves from 7; replaces Simón Donoso
6 Martín Sigren replaces Alfonso Escobar
7 Alfonso Escobar replaces Raimundo Martínez
10 Juan Cruz Reyes trades places with Tomás Salas
11 Felipe Méndez replaces Nicolás Garafulic
15 Tomás Salas trades places with Juan Cruz Reyes

 

CLUB DEBUTS

– Rodolfo Martins (FL); Fernando Lima (CE)

– Marco Alvano (FB)

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(15 capped by Brazil) H Ribeiro, C Dias, H Souza, A Melo, A Arruda, R Tenório, L Massari Temer, D Lima, J do Amaral, EW Pinheiro, B Alves, B Donald, G Oliveira, F Gonçalves, L Tranquez

(18 capped by Chile) – J Carrasco, S Donoso, I Gurruchaga, 4 S Pedrero, A Escobar, R Martínez, J Milesi,  B Videla, T Salas, N Garafulic, N Saab, D Saavedra, JC Reyes, N Aguayo, B Sáez, A Kuzmanic, M Sigren, M Torrealba

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Matheus Cláudio, Lucas Spago, Ariel Rodrigues

– Salvador Lues, Augusto Bohme, Clemente Saavedra, Matías Garafulic, Nicolás Garafulic, Cristóbal Game

NOTES

• Neither team was happy with the outcome of their respective round one fixtures; however, Selknam played good rugby while Os Cobras were caught short against Los Tarucas beefy pack.
• Selknam turned-down a short at goal for a draw to go for victory over Yacare. It was unsuccessful.
• Os Cobras won the corresponding fixture in 2023. It is the most recent Cobras’ win over Selknam.
• Both teams have dual play-makers at fly-half and fullback. The starting fullbacks are both regular 10’s.
• Chilean flanker Raimundo Martínez (21 caps) makes the transition to hooker.
• Selknam debutant Marco Alvaro was MVP and top try scorer in the recent Junior Sevens tournament in Chile. He makes the step up to SRA from u19’s.
• Os Cobras’ eleven changes include a debut for Argentine 7’s veteran Fernando Lima.

PREDICTION

A head wave is coming to a close just in time for the showdown. Heavy rain and thunder is forecast on Saturday in Jacareí. Rain of between 50mm and 100mm is forecast as are intense winds of more than 70 km/h. Needless to say, the conditions may impact the rugby played. Both teams pride themselves on their scrums; this area and the breakdown loom ascentral battles. Selknam are favorites to win in Jacareí.

 

LINEUPS

COBRAS
1 Aquiles Schulter, 2 Henrique Ribeiro, 3 Javier Coronel, 4 Cleber Dias (capt.), 5 Helder Souza, 6 Manuel Todaro, 7 Adrio Melo, 8 André Arruda, 9 Rodrigo Santos, 10 Augusto Guillamondegui, 11 Robert Tenório, 12 Lorenzo Massari Temer, 13 Fernando Lima, 14 Daniel Lima, 15 João do Amaral

Replacements: 16 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 17 Brendon Alves, 18 Vicente Galvão, 19 Ben Donald, 20 Gabriel Oliveira, 21 Rodolfo Martins, 22 Felipe Gonçalves, 23 Lucas Tranquez

SELKNAM
1 Javier Carrasco , 2 Raimundo Martínez, 3 Iñaki Gurruchaga, 4 Santiago Pedrero, 5 Agustín Toth, 6 Martín Sigren, 7 Alfonso Escobar, 8 Joaquín Milesi, 9 Benjamín Videla, 10 Juan Cruz Reyes, 11 Felipe Méndez, 12 Nicolás Saab, 13 Domingo Saavedra, 14 Federico Kennedy, 15 Tomás Salas

Replacements: 16 Jorge Delgado, 17 Nahuel Debiassi, 18 Norman Aguayo, 19 Andrés Kuzmanic, 20 Bruno Sáez, 21 Rodrigo Araya, 22 Marcelo Torrealba, 23 Marco Alvano

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Estadio du Campusano, Jacareí (BR)
Kickoff: 3:30pm (BR); 3:30pm (CL)
Weather Forecast: Heavy Rain, 29°C; Wind (14 km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN; Disney +

OFFICIALS

Referee: Juan Manuel López (AR)
Assistants: Gonzalo de Achával (AR); Luca Saccomano (BR)
TMO: Lucas Galán (AR)

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Played 8; Selknam W6 Cobras W2. Streak: Selknam 3

Apr 27, 2024 – Selknam 43-15 Cobras (Santiago, CL)
Mar 02, 2024 – Cobras 20-30 Selknam (Jacareí, BR)
May 06, 2023 – Selknam 33-17 Cobras (Curicó, CL)
Mar 18, 2023 – Cobras 30-24 Selknam (São Paulo, BR)
Apr 29, 2022 – Selknam 33-08 Cobras (Montevideo, UY)
Mar 19, 2022 –Selknam 46-10 Cobras (Valparaíso, CL)
May 01, 2021 – Cobras 21-20 Selknam (Montevideo, UY)
Apr 04, 2021 – Selknam 66-10 Cobras (Santiago, CL)