Champions Peñarol lose to Dogos for the First Time

Peñarol’s Super Rugby Americas 2024 season is hanging on a knife’s edge. After six rounds of action, the defending SRA champions have 2 wins and 4 losses. The fourth defeat came at home on Friday as Peñarol lost to Los Dogos for the first time. The 27-12 defeat means the Uruguayans could now fall two places in the standings.

Peñarol led 9-3 after 33 minutes. Three penalties to one summed up this period of the contest. Juan Andrés Zucarino landed the first penalty, teammate Juan Bautista Hontou added two from long-range while Julian Hernández opened Los Dogos’ scoring.

From then on it was about the command of Los Dogos’ forwards. Captain Franco Molina and N8 Efraín Elías were stand-out performers. The Córdoba side had a significant advantage at the set-piece at both rucks and mauls. The dominant scrum resulted in two penalty tries; this factor alone was more than enough for a Dogos win.

Peñarol’s woeful scrum saw a double-blow three minutes before half-time. Veteran Teros loose head Mateo Sanguinetti was yellow carded and Los Dogos were awarded a penalty try. The image of a scrum being bullied and forced back quickly and severely was of grace concern to Peñarol.

Peñarol reclaimed the lead on the stroke of half-time. Zuccarino landed a regulation penalty. It was the final score of the match for the home side. The lead did not last long.

A break from Mateo Soler got Los Dogos well inside the opposition’s danger zone. Waves of raids culminated with Efraín Elías scoring. The second try of the match was the only score wherein a player carried the ball into the try zone. Elías appears to be a Puma in waiting.

Hernández converted the try and added a penalty twenty minutes later for an eight point lead. Peñarol had no answers. Dubán Silvera was yellow carded and Los Dogos were awarded their second scrum penalty try.

The 27-12 win means that Los Dogos remain unbeaten. With five wins and a draw, the Córdoba side look very much like a team who will have a Home Semi Final. Next up is a trip to Denver, Colorado to face the American Raptors on April 14. Peñarol will look to bounce back at home against the basement Cobras next Friday.

SCORING

PENAROL (12)
Pen (4)- JA Zuccarino 2 (5′, 40′); JB Hontou 2 (24′, 33′)
YC (2) – M Sanguinetti (37′); D Silvera (75′)

DOGOS (27)
Try – Penalty Try 2 (37′, 75′); E Elias (47′)
Con – No Kick (37′, 75′); J Hernández (47′)
Pen (2) – J Hernández (28′, 69′)

LINEUPS

PENAROL
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Joaquin Myszka, 3 Santiago Martirene, 4 Manuel Rosmarino, 5 Lucas Bianchi, 6 Santiago Civetta (capt.), 7 Carlos Deus, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Juan Andrés Zuccarino, 11 Dante Soto, 12 Juan Manuel Alonso, 13 Joaquín Suárez, 14 Juan Bautista Hontou, 15 Ignacio Álvarez

Replacements: 16 Francisco García, 17 Mateo Perillo, 18 Dubán Silvera, 19 Agustín Morales, 20 Tomás Etcheverry, 21 Pedro Hoblog, 22 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 23 Valentin Grille

DOGOS
1 Boris Wenger, 2 Tomas Bartolini, 3 Octavio Filippa, 4 Lautaro Simes, 5 Franco Molina (capt.), 6 Aitor Bildosola, 7 Valentín Cabral, 8 Efraín Elías, 9 Agustin Moyano, 10 Julián Hernández, 11 Mateo Soler, 12 Felipe Mallía, 13 Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, 14 Lautaro Cipriani, 15 Agustin De Vertiz

Replacements: 17 Juan Aguirre, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Lorenzo Colidio, 20 Facundo García Hamilton, 22 Valentino Di Capua, 23 Leonardo Gea Salim

MATCH INFO

Date: Friday, April 03
Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo (UY)
Kickoff: 8pm (UY); 8pm (AR)
Weather Forecast: Sunny, 23°C; wind (11 km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN; Star +

OFFICIALS

Referee: Tomás Bertazza
Assistants: Claudio Cattivelli and Juan Manuel Martínez
TMO: Francisco Pesce

HIGHLIGHTS