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Santiago Cordero has claimed his first European Championship. Just two months after signing a short-term deal with Exeter the Argentine flyer lifted the Anglo-Welsh Cup as the Chiefs defeated Bath by 28-11 at Kingsholm on Friday. A muddy pitch made for hard running but Cordero made the most of what little ball he saw at fullback with one line break causing Bath particular concern.
Two tries by hooker Jack Innard and one for lock Toby Salmon did the damage for Exeter while flyhalf Joe Simmonds contributed 13 points through five successful shots at goal. Bath’s only score came from Cooper Vuna, capped by both Australia and Tonga, with England international Freddie Burns kicking two penalty goals. A second Puma – prop Lucas Noguera Paz – appeared as a replacement for Bath.
Cordero becomes the fifth Argentine international to lift the trophy since its revision as a two-country competition in 2005. Marcos Ayerza and Horacio Agulla won the title with Leicester Tigers in 2012, while four Americas players were part of the Saracens side that were crowned champions in 2015 – Juan Figallo and Marcelo Bosch of Argentina, and Eagles pair Hayden Smith and Titi Lamositele. Long-time Italy prop Martín Castrogiovanni – a native of Paraná, Argentina – played for the victorious Leicester side in 2007.
