A try by Jerónimo Ureta one minute from the end, following 20 minutes of playing in the rival field and insistently hitting the in-goal door, gave Pampas a resounding 20-19 win over Peñarolin what was by far his best performance in Super Rugby Americas and allows him to straighten the course, following a hesitant start, facing the second half of the tournament.
A good turnout presented the mythical CASI cement grandstand, if one takes into account the unusual design of playing on a Wednesday. The rain was threatening and the public was able to enjoy a close game but with sparks of emotion and, in general, a great performance by Pampas. At the end, with the Argentines within a shot of a converted try to win, for the first time in the three games here a warm breath came down from the stands.
Ureta’s try crowned a great defensive performance by the Argentine team and the mettle he had to overcome an adverse result (19-10), following a period in which he did not stand up and suffered three tries, were the pillar of the victory.
Peñarol’s visit entailed a great risk for Pampas, who reached this last date of the first stage far from the solidity that his coach claims Charles Ignatius Fernandez Lobbe. The Uruguayans, current champions, arrived with an undefeated seven games and, although with some ups and downs, the most powerful pack in the tournament and several national team players with a guaranteed ticket to France 2023 and others who are fighting for a place. At the same time, it represented an unbeatable opportunity for the Argentine team to finish bringing to the 80th minute the virtues that until now it had only hinted at intermittently.
This result allows Dogos XV, the other Argentine franchise, which had a free date, to finish the first stage at the top of the standings, with one point more than Peñarol. Pampas established itself in third place.
The locals lost the first start, but recovered the ball with a very aggressive defense and from that action that took place one minute into the game, the first try came, nine minutes later. The insistence with the forwards, without risking the ball but with patience, cost the visitor several penalties and a warning (for hooker Guillermo Pujadas), until following much insistence came the conquest of Nicolás D’Amorim thanks to a good maul following a line-out in five yards.
The handling errors deprived Pampas of adding a few more points in the first half, since when the backs found air to run they generated imbalance. This also made dominance of the ball and territory out of the team adults. The iron defense and discipline of the Argentines prevailed and forced eight ball recoveries in the first half, but with a minute to go Peñarol managed a break down the left wing in the only miss in the tackle by Pampas and, following a couple After phases attached to the formation, the discount came, the work of the second line Carlos Deus. At halftime, the Buenos Aires team was winning 7-5.
Pampas started the second half well and once once more the pressure generated a penalty, which De la Vega used to extend the advantage. However, following losing the ensuing outing, Pampas committed a pair of penalties that Peñarol chose to play and paid off when Inciarte easily broke through the Argentinians’ defensive line to put the Uruguayans up for the first time (12-10).
At that point, Pampas had traded aggressive tackles for mere defensive defence, and the good discipline of the first half for a string of penalties that made every attack by Peñarol turn into an imminent try. His superiority in the scrum, his most powerful weapon, forced several more violations and, ultimately, a yellow (to Medrano) and a try-penalty (19-10).
In the last 20 minutes, Pampas regained prominence and played all that time in the rival field. He broke the defense three times, reached inside the final five yards on four occasions, even centimeters in one of those chances, had a good collection at the line-out, recovered the ball quickly when he did not have it… He had to suffer until the end , but he did it thanks to the power of Ureta.
The last date of the first stage ends between Saturday and Sunday, with the Yacaré vs. Selknam and Raptors vs. Cobras, respectively (Dogos XV has a free date). After a week off, Super Rugby Americas will resume on Friday the 14th of next month, when Dogos host Cobras in Tala. That Sunday, that is, following an 18-day hiatus, Pampas will visit the Raptors in Glendale, Colorado.
Pampas: John Lando; Iñaki Delguy, Benjamin Elizalde, Manuel Alfaro and Luciano Auad; Joaquin de la Vega and Matthew Albanese; Jerome Ureta, James Ruiz (c) and Nicholas D’Amorim; Federico Lavanini and Lawrence Collidio; Javier Coronel, Ramiro Gurovich and Rodrigo Martinez. Coach: Carlos Ignatius Fernandez Lobbe.
Substitutions: PT 32m, Valentino Minoyetti for Gurovich; 38, Matthias Medrano by Rodriguez. ST 15m, Raphael Iriarte by Albanian; 22, Elisha Fourcade by Collidio, Elisha Chiavassa by D’Amorim and Joaquin Lamas by Alfaro; 27, Renzo Zanella by Colonel. Substitutes: Manuel Bernstein,
Penarol: Rodrigo Silva; Gastón Mieres, Tomás Inciarte, Guillermo Storace and Juan Manuel Alonso; Felipe Etcheverry (c) and Santiago Álvarez; Lucas Bianchi, Manuel Diana and Carlos Deus; Agustin Morales and Felipe Aliaga; Diego Arbelo, Guillemo Pujadas and Edgardo Benitez. Coach: Pablo Bouza.
Substitutions: PT 10m, Emiliano Santos by Mieres (temporary); 24, Yellow Icarus by Mieres. ST 4m, Juan Manuel Rodriguez by Morales; 15, Mateo Perillo for Benitez and Ignacio Peculo for Arbeloa; 27, John Zuccarino by Storace; 39, Rosmarino Manual by God.
PT: 10m, goal by De la Vega for a try by D’Amorim (Pam); 38, try for Deus (Peñ). Warning: 8m, Pujadas (Peñ).
ST: 3 and 24m, penalties by De la Vega (Pam); 7, goal by Etcheverry for a try by Inciarte (Peñ); 14, try-penalty (Peñ); 38, goal by De la Vega following a try by Ureta (Pam). Warning: 14m, Medrano (Pam); 31, Zuccarino (Peño).
Court: ALMOST
Referee: Tomás Bertazza (Argentina)
