Peñarol showed why they are the team to beat in SLAR 2022. The Uruguayans were convincing winners over Los Jaguares XV in Montevideo on Tuesday. The 32-14 win over Los Jaguares XV means Peñarol finish top of the table during the regular season with a game in hand.
Peñarol’s win was a team effort. It required determination, sticking to the gameplay and winning the battle of the break-down. The tries came after Los Jaguares XV had gone ahead. Three penalties to Tomás Suárez Folch had the Argentines 9-3 ahead late in the first half.
Peñarol recovered to score from a lineout to rolling-maul in the final play of the first half. Felipe Etcheverry landed his conversion from wide to put Peñarol 10-9 ahead at half-time.
The second-half scoring extended Peñarol’s lead and took the Uruguayans to a comfortable victory. They did so with Los Jaguares XV having no answer. Three unanswered tries gave Peñarol a bonus point win. First, prop Juan Echeverría scored from close range. Second, scrum-half Tomás Inciarte break down the left to score. Third, Diego Magno rounded off a series of raids to score.
Los Jaguares XV got one back. A consolation try to replacement forward Manuel Bernstein was the high point in a very disappointing game. The exodus of Argentines to Europe and investment from Uruguay and Chile has meant that the levels have been altered.
Part of Los Jaguares XV’s problem was a lack of ball-control. Their hands let them down. Of note was the running of the game by Suárez Folch from fly half. It was not a performance that is likely to see him retained for Sunday’s match against Os Cobras.
SCORING
PENAROL 32
Try – M Ardao (40′), J Echeverría (51′), T Inciarte (67′), D Magno (75′)
Con – F Etcheverry 2/3 (40′, 52′); N Roger 1/1 (76′)
Pen – F Etcheverry 1/1 (26′)
YC – I Peculo (16′)
JAGUARES XV 14
Try – M Bernstein (77′)
Con – T Suárez Folch 0/1
Pen – T Suárez Folch 3/4 (3′, 11′, 31′)
YC – M Villar (38′)
TEAMS
PENAROL
1 Juan Echeverría, 2 Guillermo Pujadas, 3 Ignacio Péculo, 4 Eric Dosantos, 5 Nahuel Milán, 6 Lucas Bianchi, 7 Santiago Civetta, 8 Manuel Ardao, 9 Tomás Inciarte, 10 Felipe Etcheverry, 11 Baltazar Amaya, 12 Andrés Vilaseca (capt.), 13 Bautista Basso, 14 Federico Favaro, 15 Rodrigo Silva
Replacements: 16 Emiliano Faccennini, 17 Matías Benitez, 18 Diego Arbelo, 19 Diego Magno, 20 Tomás Etcheverry, 21 Santiago Álvarez, 22 Nicolás Roger, 23 José Iruleguy
JAGUARES XV
1 Santiago Pullela, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 3 Martín Villar, 4 Lucio Anconetani, 5 Rodrigo Fernández Criado (capt.), 6 Jerónimo Gómez Vara, 7 Eliseo Chiavassa, 8 Bautista Pedemonte, 9 Joaquín Pellandini, 10 Tomás Suárez Folch, 11 Nicanor López Fernández, 12 Santiago Mare, 13 Agustín Segura, 14 Iñaki Delguy, 15 Ignacio Mendy
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Javier Coronel, 19 Pedro Rubiolo, 20 Manuel Bernstein, 21 Mateo Albanese, 22 Federico Albrisi, 23 Ramiro D’Agostino
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Felipe Balbontin (Chile)
Assistant Referees: Samoan Schneider (Argentina); Francisco González (Uruguay)
TMO: Frank Méndez (Chile)