By Joe Santamaria
Pamoas 24 – 10 Peñarol
Last year’s beaten finalists, Pampas, put the rest of the competition on notice with an impressive 24-10 victory over Peñarol in Buenos Aires.
The hosts started at a frantic pace and quickly scored the game’s first try through hooker Ramiro Gurovich.
It didn’t take long for the visitors to strike back, which they did through a wonderfully worked team try after 11 minutes, looking every inch the side that has begun this season in such scintillating form.
The remainder of the first half was tight and Peñarol will be disappointed they couldn’t hold out Joaquin Moro who powered over for Pampas’ second try on the stroke of halftime.
As the rain came down, the game looked set to remain close but one of last season’s stars, Justo Piccardo scored from close range to take the wind out of the visitors’ sails.
A late Peñarol fightback gave the fans who had travelled across the Río de la Plata something to cheer but it was the Pampas fans who went home happier after witnessing their side make a major statement.
Selknam 45 – 40 Dogos
The game of the weekend was to be found in Santiago, where Selknam triumphed in a 45-40 win over defending champions, Dogos, who are still yet to win a match this season.
The first try came after little more than a minute and barely let up for the entire game, which was played in front of an impressive crowd at the new high performance centre for Chilean rugby.
Dogos simply had no answer for Selknam’s relentless attack in the first half, with only a solitary Mateo Solar try to show for their own efforts.
Selknam have been noticeably more expansive this season, typified by the selection of fly half Tomás Salas at fullback and it was the 15 whose pass set up flying winger Federico Kennedy to score just after the break.
Trailing by 22 points, Dogos needed something to change if they were to avoid humiliation and Agustin Moyano provided a spark with a try on 48 minutes.
The try-fest continued to the very end as Dogos scored twice in the closing minutes to threaten a remarkable win but were ultimately denied in one of the most memorable matches in the competition’s history.
Yacare 30 – 27 Tarucas
The final game of the weekend played out between Yacare and Tarucas with the former edging a tightly contested affair 30-27 in Asunción.
The visitors took the lead with an early penalty but Yacare hooker Axel Taiel Zapata struck back with an impressive finish from close range.
So much of what Yacare do well goes through Joaquin Lamas and so it proved again when the fly half swerved his way to the line without a Tarucas defender getting anywhere near him.
Both sides relied heavily on their attacking mauls but had good reason for doing so, as neither seemed able to keep the other from their line, with Tarucas hooker Juan Manuel Vivas Estrella finding the line for the fifth time in just two matches.
The visitors finished the game strongly and may rue allowing Yacare to get away from them early in the second half, as they tasted defeat for the first time in their brief history in the competition.
Round Four sees Tarucas host Pampas in an all-Argentine clash before Peñarol welcome Selknam to Montevideo with both teams looking to build on promising starts to the season.
Finally, Cobras visit Dogos with both sides desperate for the win that could kickstart their seasons.
