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Spain demolished Brazil today in what was a huge win. Los Leones were by far the better team. There 67-28 victory more than makes up for their loss last weekend against Canada.
Taking place in Vilajoiosa the match was the final opportunity for both countries to play in 2017. For Los Leones it was a final opportunity for players to press for selection for the upcoming Rugby World Cup qualifiers in the 2018 Rugby Europe Championship in February.
Spain took little time to begin their rampage. Impressive play early on led to Brad Linklater and Marco Pinto scoring. The latter would go on to score a hat-trick.
Superiority at the lineout and scrum also favored Spain. Additional early scores came with from the set-piece with Beñat Auzqui and Mathieu Peluchon both scoring.
Spain’s dominance had them leading 24-0 after just 23 minutes of play. There would be time for a further opening half try before Brazil scored for the first time. Hooker Endy Willian’s try made it a 31-7 scoreline at half time.
In the second half Spain took little time in building on their scoreline. In all Spain would score six second half tries. A much improved Brazil went over for three. Combined this meant there were 95 points scored in all in the match.
Piere Barthère and Marco Pinto both scored in the opening five minutes of the second half. Before Brazil found a way to cross the try line Thibaut Álvarez and Álvar Gimeno had added to Spain’s commanding lead.
While Brazil had no shot at coming back to win the match when they woke-up they played some quality rugby. This was underlined by Moises Duque scoring an amazing try. He finished off a team effort which involved quick ball, a clean line break and excellent support play.
Following Duque’s try Spain crossed for two more. Anibal Bonan and Fabien Perrín took Los Leones up to 67 points. Brazil, though, finished off the match with two well-taken tries. They were scored by replacement Yan Rosetti and Duque, who was the pick of the Brazilians today.
SCORERS
SPAIN
Try: Pinto (3), Linklater, Pelchuon, Álvarez, Gimeno, Bonan, Perrín
Conversion: Linklater (6)
BRAZIL
Try: Duque (2), Willian, Rosetti
Conversion: Reeves (4)
SPAIN
1 Beñat Auzqui, 2 Marco Pinto, 3 Jonathan García, 4 David Barrera, 5 Aníbal Bonán, 6 Pierre Barthère, 7 Gautier Gibouin (capt.), 8 Thibaut Visensang, 9 Guillaume Rouet, 10 Dan Snee, 11 Ignacio Contardi, 12 Thibaut Álvarez, 13 Mathieu Peluchon, 14 Brad Linklater, 15 Charly Malié
Replacements: 16 Fernando López, 17 Juan Anaya, 18 Jesús Moreno, 19 Carlos Gavidi, 20 Jaime Nava, 21 Sébastien Rouet, 22 Álvar Gimeno, 23 Fabien Perrín
BRAZIL
1 Michel Gomes, 2 Endy Willian, 3 Pedro Bengaló, 4 Lucas Piero, 5 Mauricio Canterle, 6 Arthur Bergo, 7 Cléber Dias, 8 André Arruda, 9 Matheus Cruz, 10 Josh Reeves, 11 Stefano Giantorno, 12 Moisés Duque, 13 Felipe Sancery (capt.), 14 De Wet van Niekerk, 15 Daniel Sancery
Replacements: 16 Yan Rosetti, 17 Lucas Abud, 18 Caíque Silva, 19 Alexandre Alves, 20 Matheus Daniel, 21 Douglas Rauth, 22 Lucas Tranquez, 23 Lucas Muller
