Dogos Run Over Raptors in Colorado

Los Dogos dominated the American Raptors in Colorado on Sunday. The team from Córdoba, Argentina ran over the Raptors in easily completing a bonus point win. The 63-14 victory featured eleven tries to Los Dogos; hooker Tomás Bartolini scored four of them.

The hooker’s performance is tied for second as the most points scored in a Super Rugby Americas / Super Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) match. Ignacio Mendy and Sebastián Cancelliere each scored five in against Os Cobras and Selknam respectively. Cancelliere scored four against Los Cafeteros Pro in 2021 as did Matías Garafulic for Selknam.

Bartolini ‘s four try performance is now the season benchmark. His season record of four tries was more points than the Raptors scored. His first try came after just three minutes. An advancing maul saw Bartolini break off and score.

He went within inches for a second try. Rather than being stopped short he passed off the deck. Quick hands saw Lautaro Cipriani over in the right corner. The third was also rapid fire; Bartolini scored from a lineout to maul drive.

The bonus point was sealed early in the second quarter. Two tries in three minutes saw Nahuel Romero, and injury replacement Agustín de Vertiz over. Both demonstrated speed from the backs and well-executed running lines to open-up the defense.

USA Eagle cap Devereaux Ferris snatched one back for the Raptors. He intercepted a soft pass from opposite scrum-half Agustín Moyano. The gift try was converted by Ignacio Mieres late in the half. However, Los Dogos scored in response from the restart. Valentín Cabral collected a ran to score.

The second half started with a Bortolini score. The hooker threw an attacking lineout and latched-on to the resulting maul. The forwards forced the Raptors back for an easy try. Remarkably, it took quite some time as neither team scored second-half points until the 56th minute.

Tomi Morani responded for the Raptors. His 58th minute scored was converted from wide by Francisco Quinn in the final scoring act for the Coloradans. Bartolini scored his fourth with a run-in try. Cabral then scored his second. Mateo Soler and Nahuel Romero finished off the scoring with late tries.

The 49 point winning margin means Los Dogos move back to top spot in the standings. The Córdoba side is tied on 30 competition points with Los Pampas. Yacare is third with 20 points. The Raptors must now regroup ahead of next weekend’s home fixture against Los Pampas. Los Dogos take-on Os Cobras in Córdoba.

SCORING

AMERICAN RAPTORS (14)
Try (2) – D Ferris (37′); T Morani (58′)
Con (2) – I Mieres (38′); F Quinn (59′)
YC (1) – M Vainikolo (54′)

DOGOS (63)
Try (11) – T Bartolini 4 (3′, 17′, 56′, 61′), L Cipriani (11′); N Romero 2 (26′, 78′); A De Vertiz (29′); V Cabral 2 (40′, 67′); M Soler (75′)
Con – J Hernández (27′, 30′, 56′, 62′)

LINEUPS

AMERICAN RAPTORS
1 Ma’ake Muti, 2 Diego Fortuny (capt.), 3 Facundo Pomponio, 4 Javon Camp-Villalovos, 5 Will Crawford, 6 Tommy Clark, 7 Mo Vaniolo, 8 Diego Magno, 9 Devereaux Ferris, 10 Ignacio Mieres, 11 Jacob Hidalgo, 12 Watson Fikitonga, 13 Thomas Morani, 14 Daytwon Sheridan, 15 Francisco Quinn

Replacements: 16 Diego Fortuny, 17 Clay Markoff, 18 Koby Baker, 19 Jason Camp-Villalovos, 20 Tommy Clark, 21 John Lefevre, 22 Watson Filikitonga, 23 Patrick Madden

DOGOS
1 Boris Wenger, 2 Tomas Bartolini, 3 Octavio Filippa, 4 Lautaro Simes, 5 Franco Molina (capt.), 6 Aitor Bildosola, 7 Lorenzo Colidio, 8 Valentín Cabral, 9 Agustin Moyano, 10 Julián Hernández, 11 Nahuel Romero, 12 Leonado Gea Salim, 13 Felipe Mallía, 14 Lautaro Cipriani, 15 Mateo Soler

Replacements: 17 Octavio Barbatti, 18 Santos Juárez Strada, 19 Pedro Delgado, 20 Federico Rolotti, 21 Nicolás Viola, 22 Valentino Di Capua, 23 Agustín de Vertiz

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

OFFICIALS

Referee: Jauri Rivero (AR)
Assistants: Federico Solari (AR); Chris Huff (US)
TMO: Chris O’Malley (US)