Celebrations in São Paulo as Cobras overcome Selknam

Os Cobras completed their first win of Super Rugby Americas 2023. The Brazilian side overcame Selknam in São Paulo on Saturday. The players and modest crowd celebrated the 30-24 win. With it the American Raptors are now the only winless team and Os Cobras rise off the bottom of the standings.

Os Cobras enjoyed their best start all season. 10 minutes in and the Brazilian side was leading 10-0. Center Robert Tenório dotted the ball down in the try zone for a 4th minute try. Captain Lucas Tranquez landed the conversion and slotted a penalty six minutes later.

Despite the scoreboard favoring one side, Selknam also played good good rugby early on. The team playing in white advanced upfield to win a penalty. Fly half Francisco Urroz made no mistake with his 15th minute effort.

Neither team scored again until the second quarter. Slowly but surely Selknam fought their way back. They had an edge at the scrum. Multiple times the Chileans moved forward only for handling errors to see them unable to come away with points.

Continued pressure led to opportunities. When Os Cobras were penalized for tackling off the ball, Urroz kicked for the corner. Diego Escobar threw and Selknam locked in a rolling maul. Selknam came away with a team try. Javier Eissman stood up as the scorer. Urroz converted from a wide angle and the scoring was back level.

The score brought Os Cobras back to life. The backs attacked with Sergio Luna breaking through the middle. Tackled meters short of the try line the recycled ball saw Tranquez throwing a one-handed pass wide to Ariel Rodrigues who scored in the corner.

Selknam made two errors from the restart. The second gave Tranquez a shot at goal from in front. He slotted it down the middle to make it a 20-10 score at half-time.

The third quarter was all about Selknam. The Chileans put together a try which any youngster ought to pay attention to. With over twenty phases of controlled go-forward ball, Selknam got themselves from well inside their own half to the opposition try zone. Flanker Santiago Edwards went over for the try.

Os Cobras continued their perfect record of having players yellow carded in every match this season. Cleber Dias was yellow carded late in the third quarter. Selknam looked to score in response only to cough up the ball less than a meter out.

Selknam joined Os Cobras in playing with fourteen men. Having reviewed with the TMO Tomás Bertazza yellow carded Ignacio Silva for punching on the floor. Matheus Claudio retaliated with a strike but was not yellow carded.

From the penalty the home side kicked up field and set-up an attacking lineout. Smart play saw celebrations with Ariel Rodrigues scoring his second try; an even better one than his first. An emotional Tranquez converted from a difficulty angle to once again give the homeside a 10 point lead.

Rodrigues went from hero to villain. Selknam fullback Luca Strabucchi ran around the Cobras winger for a try. Strabucchi ran into the try zone and out again to get a better angle for the conversion attempt. Urroz landed it to make it a 27-24 scoreline. Tranquez landed a penalty to conclude the match.

Os Cobras now put their feet up for some rest. They will not play next weekend. Their next match will be on April 02 against the American Raptors in Denver, Colorado. Selknam return home to play against the unbeaten Peñarol next weekend.

 

SCORING

COBRAS (30)
Try – R Tenório (4′); A Rodrigues 2 (37′, 64′)
Con – L Tranquez 3/3 (5′, 40′, 65′)
Pen – L Tranquez 3/3 (10′, 38′, 80′)
YC – C Dias (54′)

 

SELKNAM (24)
Try – J Eissmann (31′); S Edwards (47′); L Strabucchi (76′)
Con – F Urroz 3/3 (32′, 48′, 77′)
Pen – F Urroz 1/1 (15′)
YC – I Silva (63′)

 

TEAMS

COBRAS
1 Brendon Alves, 2 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 3 Henrique Ferreira, 4 Ben Donald, 5 Lucio Anconetani, 6 Cleber Dias, 7 Matheus Claudio,  8 Donnacha Byrne, 9 Facundo Villalba, 10 Lucas Spago, 11 Ariel Rodrigues, 12 Robert Tenório, 13 Nicolás Cantarutti, 14 Sergio Luna, 15 Lucas Tranquez (capt.)

Replacements: 16 Diego Vidal, 17 Levy Marinho, 18 Bautista Vidal, 19 Gabriel Paganini, 20 Gabriel Oliveira, 21 André Arruda, 22 Douglas Rauth, 23 Alain Altahona

 

SELKNAM
1 Salvador Lues, 2 Diego Escobar, 3 Iñaki Gurruchaga, 4 Pablo Huete, 5 Javier Eissmann, 6 Raimundo Martínez, 7 Santiago Edwards, 8 Ernesto Tchimino, 9 Lukas Carvallo, 10 Francisco Urroz, 11 Gaspar Moltedo, 12 Pablo Casas, 13 Matías Garafulic (capt.), 14 Clemente Armstrong, 15 Luca Strabucchi

Replacements: 16 Augusto Bohme, 17 Javier Carrasco, 18 Vittorio Lastra, 19 Santiago Pedrero, 20 Tomás Orchard, 21 Diego Warnken, 22 Nicolás Herreros, 23 Ignacio Silva

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Tomás Bertazza (AR)
Assistant Referees: Gonzalo de Achával (AR); Lucas Saccommano (BR)
TMO: Víctor Hugo Barboza (BR)