Argentina XV Surges Past Brazil in Americas Rugby Championship
Doug Coil
Argentina XV had a dominant 79-7 win over Brazil in the fourth leg of the Americas Rugby Championship on Saturday, February 25 at the Estadio Municipal Augustín Pichot in Ushuaia. With the win, Argentina will play the USA for first place in the ARC 2017.
Argentina XV Head Coach Felipe Contepomi who has been rotating his lineup each week will have a rested group to take the pitch next week.
Brazil began the ARC 2017 with a win against Chile and now have had three consecutive substantial losses in a row. They will host Canada next week and head coach Rodolfo Ambrosio will be looking for a win in the final match of the ARC 2017.
Argentina XV v Brazil Recap
There is one more win that Argentina XV will be seeking. Next week they will host the USA Eagles for the Americas Rugby Championship title. Both teams will enter the match with 4-0 records and are tied in the standings with 19 points.
Yesterday, Argentina XV gave up an initial try to Brazil and then scored twelve tries in winning 79-7 at the Agustín Pichot Ground in Ushuaia, the southernmost rugby venue in the world. The USA also had a dominant performance in beating Chile 57-9 in Santiago, Chile.
Argentina opened the scoring two minutes into the match as Sebastián Cancelliere punished Brazil with a try that resulted from a turnover for a 5-0 lead. Three minutes later, Brazil answered right back from a lineout. Flyhalf Joshua Reeves passed to Felipe Sancery who offloaded to Moisés Duque for a try and conversion for 7-5 lead.
Argentina XV reclaimed the lead for good when Domingo Miotti slotted a penalty kick at the 12th minute for a 8-7 lead. Six minutes later with Brazil’s captain Nick Smith in the bin, Argentina was able to increase their lead. An offload by Germán Schulz to Franco Brarda added a try, although there was a knock-on that was unseen on the play. Tomás de la Vega added another with four minutes left prior to halftime. The later two tries were converted for a 22-7 lead at halftime.
Brazil played perhaps it’s best match of the ARC 2017 during the first half. They scored an early try and had two other try scoring opportunities that were prevented by try saving tackles.In the first minute of the second half, Brazil was back down to 14 as lock Gabriel Paganini was sent to the bin. Argentina XV hooker Marcelo Brandi added a try from a rolling maul. With this, the floodgates opened. Tomás de la Vega added a try seven minutes later with Domingo Miotti converting. Then Germán Schulz, who played with the Pumas Sevens team in Rio, intercepted a pass for a long try. With the conversion by Tomás Granella, the score was 41-7.
Tries were then added by Sebastián Cancelliere from an offload by fullback Emiliano Boffelli. Ignacio Lagarrague added an eighth try after a quick tap from a penalty. Emiliano Boffelli then counterattacked and evaded several tacklers for another try with 14 minutes remaining.
The last three tries by Argentina XV were scored by Juan Cappiello, with Lautaro Bazán Vélez scoring the last two.
The final score at the Estadio Municipal Agustín Pichot in Ushuaia was Argentina XV 79-7 over Brazil.
Scoring
Argentina XV: Tries Sebastián Cancelliere (2’, 55’), Franco Brarda (18’), Tomás de la Vega (36’, 49’), Marcelo Brandi (42’), Germán Schulz (52’), Ignacio Lagarrague (61’), Emiliano Boffelli (65’), Juan Cappiello (68’), Lautaro Bazán Vélez (73’, 79’); conversions Domingo Miotti (19’, 37’, 49’), Tomás Granella (52’, 53’, 66’, 69’), Emiliano Boffelli (73) penalty Domingo Miotti (12’) Yellow Card: Smith, Paganini Yellow Card: Medrano
Brazil: Try Moisés Duque (5’), conversion Moisés Duque (6’) Yellow Card: Smith, Paganini
Referee: Claudio Cativelli (Uruguay). Assistant Referees: Damián Schneider and Pablo Deluca (Argentina)
Squads with Replacements
Argentina XV: 1 Franco Brarda (50’ 17 Facundo Gigena), 2 Marcelo Brandi (50’ 16 Gaspar Baldunciel), 3 Alejo Brem (45’ 18 Santiago Medrano, sin bin 58’); 4 Pedro Ortega (60’ 19 Franco Molina), 5 Ignacio Lagarrague; 6 Mariano Romanini (temp 65-69’ 3 Alejo Brem), 7 Lautaro Bavaro (captain); 8 Tomás de la Vega (60’ 20 Rodrigo Bruni); 9 Sebastián Cancelliere (60’ 21 Lautaro Bazán Vélez), 10 Domingo Miotti (50’ 22 Juan Capiello); 11 Franco Cuaranta, 12 Tomás Granella, 13 Segundo Tuculet, 14 Germán Schulz; 15 Juan Cruz González (40’ 23 Emiliano Boffelli)
Brazil: 1 Wilton Rebolo, 2 Yan Rossetti (34’ 16 Daniel Danielewicz) (78’ 18 Pedro Bengalo), 3 Caique Segura (27’ 17 Vitor Ancina); 4 Gabriel Paganini sin bin 41’), 5 Diego López (47’ 19 Lucas Piero); 6 Joao da Ros (sin bin 78’), 7 André Arruda; 8 Nicholas Smith (captain)(sin bin 14’)(47’ 20 Daniel Mathias); 9 Matheus Silva, 10 Joshua Reeves; 11 Jacobus van Niekerk (18’ 23 Robert Tenorio), 12 Moisés Duque, 13 Felipe Sancery (71’ 22 Luan Smanio), 14 Ariel Rodrígues; 15 Daniel Sancery. Reserve: 21 Johannes Cremer
Match Day Squads
Argentina XV v Brazil: 1 Franco Brarda 2 Marcelo Brandi 3 Alejo Brem 4 Pedro Ortega 5 Ignacio Larrague 6 Mariano Romanini 7 Lautaro Bavaro (Capt.) 8 Tomás de la Vega 9 Sebastián Cancelliere 10 Domingo Miotti 11 Franco Cuaranta 12 Tomás Granella 13 Segundo Tuculet 14 Germán Schulz 15 Juan Cruz González 16 Gaspar Baldunciel, 17 Facundo Gigena, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Rodrigo Bruni, 21 Lauaro Bazán Vélez, 22 Juan Cappiello, 23 Emiliano Boffelli.
Brazil v Argentina XV: 1 Wilton Rebolo 2 Yan Rosetti 3 Caíque Silva 4 Gabriel Paganini 5 Diego López 6 João Luiz da Ros 7 André Arruda 8 Nick Smith (capt.) 9 Matheus Cruz 10 Josh Reeves 11 De Wet van Niekerk 12 Moisés Duque 13 Felipe Sancery 14 Ariel Rodrigues 15 Daniel Sancery 16 Daniel Danielewicz,17 Vitor Ancina 18 Pedro Bengaló 19 Lucas Piero 20 Matheus Daniel 21 Beukes Cremer 22 Luan Smanio 23 Robert Tenório
Argentina XV – Americas Rugby Championship
- v. Canada – W 20-6
- v. Uruguay– W 57-12
- v. Chile– W45-10
- v. Brazil – W79-7
- v. USA – Saturday, March 4, Estadio Municipal
Brazil – Americas Rugby Championship
- v. Chile – W 17-3
- v. USA– L 51-3
- v. Uruguay– L25-12
- v. Argentina XV –L79-7
- v. Canada – Saturday, March 3
2017 Americas Rugby Championship Standings (through 4 rounds):
- Argentina – 19 points
- USA – 19 points
- Uruguay – 9 points
- Canada – 7 points
- Brazil – 4 points
- Chile – 0 points