Super Rugby Americas 2024 – Selknam vs Peñarol – ARN Guide

Two teams packed with Rugby World Cup 2023 players will lock-horns in Santiago del Chile on Saturday. The majority of the past nine battles between Selknam and Peñarol have been close. Selknam will be hoping for home support in their opening home future in Super Rugby Americas 2024.

CLUB DEBUTS

(4) – Norman Aguayo, Ignacio González, Iñaki Tuset, Nicolás Saab
(1) – Santiago Terra; Duban Silveira

SUPER RUGBY AMERICAS DEBUTS

(4) – Norman Aguayo,* Ignacio González,* Iñaki Tuset,* Nicolás Saab*
(1) – Santiago Terra*; Duban Silveira*
* – Pro Debut

CAPPED INTERNATIONALS

(13) – J Carrasco; S Lues; I Gurruchaga; S Pedrero; A Sarmiento; J Eissmann; C Saavedra; R Martínez; A Escobar; M Torrealba; J Larenas; D Saavedra; F Velarde

(12) – M Sanguinetti; M Perillo; M Franco; JM Rodríguez; S Civetta; L Bianchi; M Diana; C Deus; S Álvarez; JA Zuccarino JM Alonso; G Mieres

NOTABLE ABSENTEES

– Diego Escobar (CL); Benjamín Videla (CL); Matías Garafulic (CL); Cristobál Game (CL); Nicolás Garafulic (CL); Luca Strabucchi, (CL); Nicolás Roger (AR)

– Felipe Aliaga (UY); Juan Manuel Tafernaberry (UY); Felipe Arcos Pérez (UY); Bautista Basso (UY); Ignacio Facciolo (UY); Mateo Viñals (UY); Baltazar Amaya (UY)

NOTES

• Argentina XV scrum-half Rafael Iriate starts out of position for Selknam at fly half.
• 4 debutants – Norman Aguayo, Ignacio González, Iñaki Tuset, and Nicolás Saab will debut for Selknam as replacements. Santiago Terra and Duban Silveira debut for Peñarol.
• Nicolás Garafulic is yet to play this season. His twin brother, Matías is again absent.
• Chile will host Super Rugby Americas for the first time in 2024 and first since the World Cup.
• Ícaro Amarillo has first start at fly half with Juan Andrés Zuccarino moving to inside center.
• Juan Bautista Hontou moves from fullback to wing with veteran Gastón Mieres at the back.
• Juan Manuel Tafernaberry, Bautista Basso, Ignacio Facciolo, Mateo Viñals and Baltazar Amaya started for Uruguay 7’s on Friday in the win over Papua New Guinea at the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in Montevideo.
• Selknam and Peñarol have both had one bye each already.
• Both teams are 1-1 for SRA 2024 heading into Saturday’s match.
• Peñarol have a 3 match winning streak against Selknam and a 6-3 record overall.

PREDICTION

Both teams need this win. They played well last round but were underwhelming in their respective season openers. Selknam have three tough matches back-to-back – Peñarol, Raptors and Dogos. It does not get any more challenging. Peñarol’s scrum has been a negative thus far and Selknam excellent in the forwards. Selknam are narrow favorites.

LINEUPS

SELKNAM
1 Javier Carrasco, 2 Simón Donoso, 3 Iñaki Gurruchaga, 4 Santiago Pedrero, 5 Javier Eissmann, 6 Federico Albrisi, 7 Clemente Saavedra (capt.), 8 Raimundo Martínez, 9 Marcelo Torrealba, 10 Rafael Iriate, 11 José Larenas, 12 Martín Dumay, 13 Domingo Saavedra, 14 Franco Velarde, 15 Iñaki Delguy

Replacements: 16 Norman Aguayo, 17 Salvador Lues, 18 Ignacio González, 19 Augusto Sarmiento, 20 Santiago Edwards, 21 Iñaki Tuset, 22 Nicolás Saab, 23 Alfonso Escobar

PENAROL
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Joaquín Myszka, 3 Mathias Franco, 4 Juan Manuel Rodríguez, 5 Agustín Morales, 6 Santiago Civetta (capt.), 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Ícaro Amarillo, 11 Dante Soto, 12 Juan Andrés Zuccarino, 13 Juan Manuel Alonso, 14 Juan Bautista Hontou, 15 Gastón Mieres

Replacements: 16 Francisco García, 17 Mateo Perillo, 18 Duban Silveira, 19 Manuel Rosmarino, 20 Carlos Deus, 21 Pedro Hoblog, 22 Santiago Terra, 23 Joaquín Suárez

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, March 9
Venue: Estadio Municipal de La Pintana
Kickoff: 4:35pm (CL); 5:35pm (UY)
Weather Forecast: Sunny, 27°C; wind (10-13 km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN

OFFICIALS

Referee: Tomás Bertazza (AR)
Assistants: Juan Manuel Martínez; Frank Méndez
TMO: Ignacio Calle

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (4) – Peñarol 6, Selknam 3, STREAK Peñarol +3
May 26, 2023 – Peñarol 31-08 Selknam (Montevideo, CL)
Mar 24, 2023 – Selknam 24-35 Peñarol (Santiago, CL)
May 27, 2022 – Peñarol 24-13 Selknam (Montevideo, UY)
May 15, 2022 – Peñarol 08-15 Selknam (Montevideo, UY)
Apr 08, 2022 – Peñarol 31-03 Selknam (Ciudad del Este, PY)
May 08, 2021 – Peñarol 17-14 Selknam (Montevideo, UY)
Apr 26, 2021 – Peñarol 17-27 Selknam (Montevideo, UY)
Mar 30, 2021 – Selknam 22-26 Peñarol (Santiago, CL)
Mar 04, 2020 – Peñarol 13-14 Selknam (Montevideo, UY)