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How convenient that the final match of the 2017 Americas Rugby Championship will pit the two sides boasting perfect records in head-to-head competition. The southern region of Patagonia will host the match between the US Eagles and the Argentina XV. Comodoro Rivadavia will be the venue this week, more than 800 miles north of Ushuaia. The task is simple – win and take home the title. Should the two sides draw, as they did in 2016, the Argentina XV will repeat as champions on points differential.
Though official World Rugby rankings points are not on the table due to Argentina’s official classification as an ‘A’ side, this one should have all the feelings of a proper test match. The Eagles will be desperate to claim the title for themselves while the Argentines are notoriously difficult to play on home soil. For both sides there are spots in more prestigious games down the road on offer – a shot at Super Rugby with the Jaguares, or selection to the June test series for the Eagles.
Argentinean coaches Felipe Contepomi and Ignacio Fernández Lobbe have again shown no concern for continuity despite the perceived increase in magnitude. It’s as if selections for each match had already been pre-determined, injuries notwithstanding. Argentina’s impressive strength in depth, however, continues to shine with seemingly no loss in quality among any number of players at each position. As such it’s difficult to appraise a change as being either an upgrade or downgrade. In most cases it’s simply a difference in style.
Four changes have come in the forward pack, with an entirely new front row combination selected for the fifth consecutive match. Francisco Ferronato, Gaspar Baldunciel, and Santiago Medrano have been given the starting roles this week. Medrano’s talent has been apparent and another strong outing could see him vault into the Jaguares conversation, at the very least as an apprentice. Francisco Gorrissen is another who has impressed with his work rate and athleticism. He returns from a minor leg complaint to replace Mariano Romanini on the side of the scrum.
The backs have almost a completely different look to them aside from outstanding halfbacks Sebastián Cancelliere and Domingo Miotti. A new duo in Bruno Devoto and Santiago Alvarez will have a far more traditional hard-running approach in the midfield to the creative pairing of Tomás Granella and Segundo Tuculet they have replaced. Julian Dominguez is given only his second start of the competition despite looking dominant in his time on the field, and there is a surprise selection in Pumas international Gabriel Ascárate at fullback having made all 11 of his test starts in the midfield. He has in the past slotted in as a makeshift flyhalf and has good footballing skills, but the move is still very much out of the ordinary.
In some ways John Mitchell has done the same, opting to shift Ben Cima to fullback to accommodate Will Magie’s selection at flyhalf. While Cima’s long-term future is certainly in the no10 shirt, fullback is not an altogether alien position for the youngster having played there before with the Junior All-Americans, and he is often used as a rear-guard in kick coverage, as seen in the match against Chile last weekend. The change allows Mitchell to retain the best of both worlds – Magie’s distribution skills both from hand and foot, and Cima’s excellent goal kicking, while also offering an option as a secondary first receiver. Mike Te’o is shifted to the wing but is likely to have free reign to pop up anywhere, as Nate Augspurger has shown in the past three games.
There is little messing about in the forwards where Anthony Purpura is recalled at loosehead prop, an expected change, and John Quill returns to fill in for the injured Todd Clever. James Hilterbrand’s selection ahead of Peter Malcolm at hooker is perhaps subject to debate, an ironic situation given the opposite was true just a couple games ago. Such has been the form of Malcolm that the established duo of Hilterbrand and Joe Taufete’e are not guaranteed to start the June test matches. It’s a pleasant problem to have at a position that has traditionally been a point of strength but relatively limited depth for the Eagles.
Another emerging ‘problem’ is in the second row, where Nate Brakeley and Nick Civetta shone during the opening rounds of the tournament. The new pairing of Matt Jensen and Siaosi Mahoni are young but monstrously big and evidently talented as well. Cam Dolan seems to be back in favor as a no8, his preferred position, and then there’s the question of what to do with David Tameilau, revitalised after his move to France and with handling skills that many backs would be proud of.
The admiration of talent on display could go on, but the bottom line is that both teams have everything to play for and have been selected to play open, expansive rugby. As the weather forecast suggests a calm afternoon there is every hope this could be the jewel of the tournament. Who comes away victorious is likely the team who executes the game plan most accurately. With little to choose between the sides in manpower and less in historical results, it could well be the classic home field advantage that tips the scale ever so slightly in one direction.
ARGENTINA XV
1 Francisco Ferronato, 2 Gaspar Baldunciel, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Pedro Ortega, 5 Ignacio Larrague, 6 Francisco Gorrissen, 7 Lautaro Bavaro (capt.), 8 Tomás de la Vega, 9 Sebastián Cancelliere, 10 Domingo Miotti, 11 Julián Domínguez, 12 Bruno Devoto, 13 Santiago Álvarez, 14 Germán Schulz, 15 Gabriel Ascárate
Replacements: 16 Marcelo Brandi, 17 Franco Brarda, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Santiago Montagner, 21 Lautaro Bazán, 22 Juan Cruz González, 23 Franco Cuaranta
USA EAGLES
1 Anthony Purpura, 2 James Hilterbrand, 3 Chris Baumann, 4 Matt Jensen, 5 Siaosi Mahoni, 6 John Quill, 7 Tony Lamborn, 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Shaun Davies, 10 Will Magie, 11 Nate Augspurger (capt.), 12 JP Eloff, 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Mike Te’o, 15 Ben Cima
Replacements: 16 Peter Malcolm, 17 Ben Tarr, 18 Olive Kilifi, 19 Hanco Germishuys, 20 David Tameilau, 21 Calvin Whiting, 22 Ryan Matyas, 23 Spike Davis
Date: Saturday, March 4
Venue: Estadio Municipal, Comodoro Rivadavia
Kickoff: 17:00 local (12:00 Pacific, 15:00 Eastern)
Referee: Joaquín Montes (URU)
Assistants: Santiago Altobelli (UAR) & José Covassi (UAR)
Broadcasts: ESPN, TSN Go, The Rugby Channel
