Tarucas and Dogos play out a classic rugby contest in Tucumán

Super Rugby Americas (SRA) 2026 delivered a fantastic Friday evening double in Argentina. First, Los Pampas defeated Los Capibaras in a match that weren’t down to the wire. Then, Los Tarucas and Los Dogos played out a classic rugby contest in Tucumán. Both matches were decided by small margins and see changes to the SRA standings.

A week after Los Pampas fell to a home defeat, in a match that went down to the wire against Los Dogos, came the turn of Los Cordobeses to be narrowly beaten. The result of the clash in Tucumán was a 29-26 victory by Los Tarucas. It was Los Dogos’ first defeat of SRA 2026 and means Los Tucumanos are the only undefeated side after three rounds of the season.

Los Tarucas’ victory was both a comeback and hard-fought. Los Dogos scored three first-half tries compared to Los Taurcas who did not score any. Scrum-half Nicolás Viola bagged a double for Los Dogos and hooker Juan Gressing Revol also scored in the try zone.

The first try saw center and captain, Faustino Sánchez Valarolo making a break and passing to winger Mateo Soler. He attracted the last defender while getting the assist in as he passed to Viola who scored under the posts. Julián Hernández landed the simple conversion.

Before the second try was scored, Los Tarucas opened their account with Ignacio Cerruti landing a penalty. His boot proved pivotal in the contest as he went on to slot five penalties in the match, four of which were in the first-half.

Cerruti kicked his second penalty but not long before Los Dogos had their second try. Viola ran left and combined with Facundo Pueyrredón. The winger passed the ball back to the scrum-half who scored in the left corner.

The third Dogos try was from a lineout to maul move. Thin defensive cover from Los Tarucas proved fatal as Los Dogos drove fast and deep with Gressing Revol scoring on 32 minutes. Hernández converted for a 19-9 lead.

A pair of Cerruti penalties either side of Juan Gressing Revol’s try meant the hosts were down 19-12 at half-time. It had been a half dominated by the visitors and a turn-around was needed in order for Los Tucumanos to  be more competitive in the second-half.

The quest for victory began well for Los Tarucas in the second-half. Fullback Tomás Elizalde out-sprinted Mateo Soler in chasing a kick from Ceutti to score in the left corner. Questions were asked of the try given that there are no TMO’s being used in SRA this season. Post match, Los Tarucas’ Head Coach Álvaro Galindo said it was not a try.

Los Tarucas then took the lead on 50 minutes. They did so with a penalty try from a five-meter scrum. However, this match was far from over and Julián Hernández converted a try by Enzo Ocampo scored for Los Dogos to level the scores with 14 minus remaining.

As the clock was winding down, Cerutti landed a penalty on 77 minutes. From there, Los Tarucas looked to control the ball and see out victory. Notwithstanding, a knock-on in their own half was followed by an attacking scrum and then a penalty which Los Dogos used to kick for the corner. Los Tarucas stole the lineout but another knock-on gave Los Dogos one last chance. It was not to be as the home side celebrated a tight win.

Both teams are now focused on what is ahead of them in Week 4. Los Dogos play host to Selknam in Córdoba while Los Tarucas will look to remain undefeated this season as they host Los Pampas in Tucumán.

 

SCORING

TARUCAS (29)
TRY – T Elizalde (43′); Penalty Try (50′)
CON – I Cerruti (44′); No Kick (50′)
PEN – I Cerruti 5 (9′, 16′, 27′, 38′, 77′)
YC – T Vanni (21′)

DOGOS (26)
TRY – N Viola 2 (3′, 22′); J Greissing Revol (32′); E Ocampo (65′)
CON – J Hernández (5′, 33′, 66′)
YC – L Simes (38′); A Cugnini (53′)

 

LINE-UPS

TARUCAS
1 Mariano Muntaner, 2 José Calderoni, 3 Francisco Morenos 4 Ignacio Marquieguez, 5 Luciano Asevedo, 6 Tomás Dande, 7 Agustín Sarelli, 8 Thiago Sbrocco, 9 Estanislao Pregot, 10 Ignacio Cerrutti, 11 Mateo Pasquini, 12 Bautista Estofan, 13 Matías Orlando (capt.), 14 Tomás Vanni, 15 Tomás Elizalde

Replacements: 16 Juan Vivas, 17 Benjamín Garrido, 18 Rodrigo Navarro, 19 Franco Marini, 20 Miguel Mukdise, 21 Matías Sauze, 22 Máximo Ledesma, 23 Stefano Ferro

DOGOS
1 Francisco Aguirre, 2 Juan Ignacio Greissing Revol, 3 Octavio Filippa, 4 Abraham Elías, 5 Enzo Ocampo, 6 Aitor Bildosola, 7 Lautaro Simes, 8 Genaro Fissore, 9 Nicolás Viola, 10 Julián Hernández, 11 Facundo Pueyrredón, 12 Faustino Sánchez Valarolo (capt.), 13 Mauricio Kember, 14 Mateo Soler, 15 Mateo Sánchez

Replacements: 16 Alejandro Pronce, 17 Ramiro Iglesias, 18 Galo Fernández, 19 Valentín Gozálvez, 20 Augusto Cugnini, 21 Genaro Podesta, 22 Facundo Rodríguez, 23 Agustín Segura

 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

 

WEEK THREE – MATCH OFFICIALS

VS 
Referee: Nehuén Jauri Rivero (Argentina)
Assistant Referees: TBA + Pedro López Vildoza (Argentina)