Peñarol Overpower Cobras for second win of Super Rugby Americas 2026

Peñarol overpowered Os Cobras for their second win of Super Rugby Americas (SRA) 2026 thus far. The Uruguayan wide were bonus point winners at home with veteran N8 Manuel Diana scoring a hat-trick.

The Uruguayans converted a 21-6 half-time lead into a 38-20 victory, doing so with periods of dominance. In both halves, neither team was able to score in the first 20 minutes of the half.

The scoring began at the start of the second quarter. Diana crossed for his first try. He did so while receiving a knock to his head as Matheus Cláudio tried to tackle him as he was inside the try zone. The score was converted by Justo Ferrario.

Argentine Julián Leszczynski opened the scoring for Os Cobras with his first of two penalties in the second quarter. Diana scored his second try in response before Leszczynski added his second penalty. Before half-time arrived, Peñarol won a penalty try from a rampaging rolling-maul.

Peñarol were then up against 14 men with Cleber Dias yellow carded; however, it was Os Cobras who had a numerical advantage at the close of the half as both Manuel Rosmarino and Agustin Iglesias received yellow cards.

With neither team scoring in the third quarter, the scoreless drought ended on 64 minutes with hooker Sebastian Pérez scoring for the Uruguayans. The forwards overpowered Os Cobras and, indeed, all six of Peñarol’s tries were by forwards, including the penalty try.

Argentine Santiago Bonavento scored for Os Cobras on 67 minutes while Brazilian test second-rower, Gabriel Oliveira added another five minutes from full-time. Juan Francisco Bessio had the final say with try for Peñarol. It meant the Uruguayans claimed the maximum points from the win while Os Cobras return home empty handed.

Peñarol travel to Córdoba, Argentina to face Los Dogos next Friday. Os Cobras will have home advantage against Los Pampas on Sunday, March 22.

SCORING

PENAROL (38)
TRY – M Diana 3 (20′, 25′, 70′); Penalty Try (33′); S Pérez (64′); JF Bessio (38′)
CON – J Ferrario 3 (20′, 26′, 71′); No Kick (33′)
YC – C Dias (33′); F Moreno (54′)

COBRAS (20)
TRY – S Bonavento (67′); G Oliveira (75′)
CON – J Leszczynski (68′, 75′)
PEN – J Leszczynski 2 (25′, 29′)
YC – M Rosmarino (38′); A Iglesias (39′)

LINE-UPS

PENAROL
1 Francisco Suárez, 2 Sebastián Pérez, 3 Agustín Iglesias, 4 Felipe Aliaga (capt.), 5 Manuel Rosmarino, 6 Manuel Ardao, 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Alejandro Molinas, 10 Justo Ferrario, 11 Juan Manuel Alonso, 12 Joaquín Suárez, 13 Alfonso Perillo, 14 Tomás Baca Castex, 15 Santiago Marolda

Replacements: 16 Juan Francisco Bessio, 17 Mateo Perillo, 18 Jesús Porro, 19 Bautista Cat, 20 Manuel Ponte, 21 Francisco Lawlor, 22 Nicolás Pittaluga, 23 Ignacio Facciolo

COBRAS
1 João Lucas Marino, 2 Santiago Bonavento, 3 Lautaro Moreno, 4 Cleber Dias, 5 Hélder Lúcio, 6 Adrio de Melo, 7 Matheus Cláudio, 8 André Arruda, 9 Zinedine Booysen, 10 Julián Leszczynski, 11 Robson Morais, 12 Robert Tenório, 13 Lorenzo Massari Temer (capt.), 14 Sérgio Luna, 15 Rosko Specman

Replacements: 16 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 17 Brendon Alves, 18 Facundo Lautaro, 19 Gabriel Oliveira, 20 Pedro Soares, 21 Ashwin Cox, 22 Lucas Tranquez, 23 Dion Khumalo

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

MATCH OFFICIALS

VS
Referee: Tomás Ninci (Argentina)
Assistant Referees: Esteban Filipanics (Argentina); Armen Abi Saab (Uruguay)