Brazil call Dell’Acqua for Māori match

Brazil have named two uncapped players in their squad to prepare for their match against the New Zealand Māori on Saturday. The historic event will take place at the Estádio do Morumbi in Sao Paolo with greater than 30,000 tickets already sold.

The new players to the squad are both forwards. Former Italy u20 representative Matteo Dell’Acqua is set to make his Tupis debut, either at lock or in the back row. He qualifies through Brazilian parentage. Also using ancestry to qualify is highly promising 21-year-old Devon Müller, a South African flanker from the Natal age-grade system.

With regular captain Yan Rosetti injured it will be Felipe Sancery who leads the side. All eight players who were part of the Rugby Americas combine are named including flyhalf Josh Reeves, the first Tupis international to sign a Major League Rugby deal.

There is further experience in the forwards with Jardel Vettorato set to play tighthead prop and André Arruda in the back row. France-based lock Luiz Vieira is one of two overseas pros named along with Dell’Acqua, and the evergreen Lucas Duque will start at scrumhalf.

A detailed squad list can be seen here.

FORWARDS
Lucas Abud (Poli), Pedro Bengaló (Poli), Michel Gomes (São José), Matheus Rocha (Jacareí), Caíque Silva (São José), Jardel Vettorato (Farrapos), Wilton Rebolo (Bandeirantes), Endy Willian (Curitiba), Cléber Dias (Poli), Lucas Piero (Desterro), Luiz Vieira (Tyrosse, FR), André Arruda (Desterro), Arthur Bergo (SPAC), Matteo Dell’Acqua (Reggio, IT), Michael Moraes (Curitiba), Devon Müller (Bandeirantes)

BACKS
Lucas Duque (São José), Douglas Rauth (Curitiba), Josh Reeves (Bandeirantes / Utah Warriors, US), Moisés Duque (São José), Valentin Garcia (Poli), Felipe Sancery (capt., São José), Stefano Giantorno (São José), Robert Tenório (Pasteur), De Wet van Niekerk (Poli), Daniel Sancery (São José), Lucas Tranquez (Poli)