Alumni exacted revenge to shock 2017 champions Hindú in the 2018 Top 12 Final. Alumni’s 26-17 victory is the 6th URBA title by the club, the last coming in 2001.
In the 2017 URBA Top 12 Final Hindú defeated Alumni 27-20. Having figured prominently in recent years Hindú were champions in seven times between 2006 and 2015, and finalists in 2013 and 2016.
The 17-year-wait ended at the Cathedral in San Isidro. It was the setting for a great occasion as fans of Hindú and Alumni packed the venue and seated together, embracing in the spirit of rugby.
Alumni’s victory was centered on forward dominance. The platform enabled Las Tortuguitas to play the better rugby and control proceedings. A penalty try and three first half penalties from Joaquín Díaz Luzzi had Alumni 16-0 ahead.
Hindú fought back to score a try though hooker Carlos Repetto. With it Alumni held a 16-7 half time lead. It would be further reduced in the second half with former Puma Santiago Fernández converting a try scored by winger Martín Cancelliere.
Díaz Luzzi and Fernández would then trade penalties before the Alumni no 10 sealed the result. A converted try by Díaz Luzzi saw Alumni winning by 9 points to claim Buenos Aires rugby’s ultimate prize.
SCORING
ALUMNI 26
Try: Penalty Try, J. Díaz Luzzi
Conversion: J. Díaz Luzzi
Penalty: J. Diaz Luzzi (4)
Yellow cards: M. Provenzano
HINDÚ 17
Try: C. Repetto, S. Cancelliere
Conversion: S. Fernández (2)
Penalty: S. Fernández
Yellow cards: T. Resnick
TEAMS
ALUMNI
15 Máximo Provenzano, 14 Rafael Desanto, 13 Tomás Cubilla, 12 Franco Battezzati, 11 Luca Sábato, 10 Joaquín Díaz Luzzi, 9 Tomás Passerotti, 8 Tobías Moyano, 7 Mariano Romanini, 6 Juan Patricio Anderson, 5 Bernardo Quaranta, 4 Pedro Scardapane, 3 Guido Cambareri, 2 Gaspar Baldunciel, 1 Federico Lucca
Replacements: 16 Tomás Bivort, 17 Juan Ceraso, 18 Juan Acosta, 19 Iñaki Etchegaray, 20 Ignacio Etchegoyen, 21 Luca Magnasco, 22 Segundo Gaviña, 23 Tomás Corneille
HINDÚ
15 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía, 14 Federico Graglia, 13 Belisario Agulla, 12 Hernán Senillosa, 11 Martín Cancelliere, 10 Santiago Fernández, 9 Lucas Camacho, 8 Tomás Resnick, 7 Lautaro Bavaro, 6 Carlos Repetto, 5 Nicolás Guisasola, 4 Juan Comolli, 3 Mariano Viano, 2 Agustín Capurro, 1 Juan Ignacio Martínez Sosa
Replacements: 16 Augusto Faraone, 17 Isaías Quiroga, 18 Nicolás Leiva, 19 Augusto Bavaro, 20 Gonzalo Delguy, 21 Juan Aquilia, 22 Francisco Bosch, 23 Santiago Mourin