Los Capibaras enjoyed a solid night out against Los Tarucas in Rosario on Monday. The rookie team successfully lifted the Copa La Capital thanks to completing a 39-28 victory.
With Los Pumas Coaching staff (Felipe Contepomi, Andrés Bordoy and Juan Martin Fernández Lobbe) watching on, Los Capibaras completed a bonus point victory. The result sees the team retaining its spot inside the play-off’s zone. It comes after Selknam’s road win over Os Cobras had temporarily moved the Chileans above Los Capibaras.
Los Capibaras were made to work hard for the win; they did so after having been 21-17 behind at half-time. Indeed, the first-half was highly competitive. It began with a good try from center Bautista Estellés. He sliced through after good work from Juan Bautista Baronio and Franco Rosetti.
Los Tarucas’ opening try was even better. A creative play from a lineout saw scrum-half Estanislao Pregot putting on the after-burners to get past Lorenzo Colidio and then Juan Bautista Baronio to score under the posts.
With the match reaching the 20 minute mark, Los Capibaras scored their second try. Former Major League Rugby player, Lucas Bur went low and powered over from a pick-and-go. Juan Bautista Baronio converted from a challenging and unfavorable angle.
The scoring continued swiftly as Ignacio Cerrutti landed a drop-goal on 23 minutes. It followed his earlier conversion and his penalty which opened the scoring in the 3rd minute of the match. Cerrutti missed out on a conversion in the final play of the half. This was after winger Tomás Vanni scored in the right corner.
There was also plenty of action in the second-half but it unfolded differently than to the first. Los Pumitas center, Pedro Coll scored following a deflection. His 42nd try was the third of the night for Los Tarucas but it was, ultimately their final try. It meant the team missed out on a bonus point for four tries.
Los Tarucas also went on to miss out on securing any competition points as Los Capibaras powered their way back into the lead and won by a margin of eleven points which denied Los Tarucas a losing bonus point.
Scrum-half Alejo Sugasti scored the simplistic of tries on 45 minutes. He did so after a rolling-maul culminated with hooker Martín Vaca breaking down the left, attracting two defenders and passing inside to an unmarked Sugasti.
Yellow cards to Tarucas forwards Luciano Asevedo (51′) and Francisco Moreno (58′) saw the visitors down to thirteen men. The ten minutes without Acevedo was critical as Los Capibaras scored two tries. First, Felipe Vialgrán scored following a break from Juan Bautista Baronio. Second, a powerful scrum saw referee Juan Sebastián Maio awarding Los Capibaras with a penalty try.
The only points of the final quarter came in the form of a penalty. Juan Bautista Baronio landed a long-0range strike to finish with twelve points for the night. The former Dogos play-maker also had the final touch of the match as he kicked a penalty into touch to end proceedings.
Both teams will play on the road in Round 8. Los Tarucas travel to Santiago, Chile to face Selknam while Los Capibaras face Peñarol at the Estadio Charrúa for the first time. The fixtures officially open the second-half of the regular season. Los Tarucas won 41-13 in round one while Los Capibaras had a dream debut, beating Peñarol 34-7 in their opening fixture.
 SCORING |
CAPIBARAS (39)
TRY – B Estellés (4′); L Bur (20′); A Sugasti (45′). F Villagrán (51′); Penalty Try (57′)
CON – JB Baronio (4′, 21′, 52′); No Kick (57′)
PEN – JB Baronio (27′, 79′)
YC – B Estellés (39′); I Gandini (61′)
TARUCAS (28)
TRY – E Pregot (12′); T Vanni (40′); P Coll (42′)
CON – I Cerrutti (13′, 43′)
PEN – I Cerrutti (3′, 38′)
DG – I Cerrutti (23′)
YC – L Asevedo (51′); F Moreno (58′)
| LINE-UPS |
CAPIBARAS
1 Diego Correa, 2, Martín Vaca, 3 Enzo Avaca, 4 Lorenzo Colidio, 5 Lucas Bur, 6 Ignacio Gandini (capt.), 7 Felipe Vilagrán, 8 Manuel Bernstein, 9 Alejo Sugasti, 10 Juan Bautista Baronio, 11 Franco Rosetti, 12 Guido Chesini, 13 Bautista Estellés, 14 Lautaro Cipriani, 15 Francisco Lluch
Replacements: 16 Manuel Cuneo, 17 Juan Ignacio Rodríguez, 18 Ignacio Orsetti, 19 Juan Huber, 20 Basilio Cañas, 21 Juan Lovell, 22 Bruno Heit, 23 Benjamín Ordiz
TARUCAS
1 Mariano Muntaner, 2 Juan Manuel Vivas, 3 Francisco Moreno, 4 Luciano Acevedo, 5 Ignacio Marquieguez, 6 Facundo Cardozo, 7 Tomás Dande, 8 Thiago Sbrocco, 9 Estanislao Pregot, 10 Ignacio Cerruti, 11 Tomás Vanni, 12 Pedro Coll, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Mateo Pasquini, 15 Tomás Elizalde
Replacements: 16 José Calderoni Zenteno, 17 Benjamín Farías Cerioni, 18 Rodrigo Navarro, 19 Joaquín Aguilar, 20 Miguel Mukdise, 21 Matías Sauze, 22 Máximo Ledesma Alfaro, 23 Stefano Ferro
| MATCH HIGHLIGHTS |
| MATCH OFFICIALS |
VS
Referee: Juan Sebastián Maio (Argentina)
Assistant Referees: Juan Manuel Martínez (Argentina); Juan Vega (Argentina)