Super Rugby Americas Round 13 Review: Peñarol move top ahead of Warren Gatland addition

Selknam 20-17 Yacare

Selknam produced a stirring performance to keep their playoff hopes alive by defeating Yacare 20-17 just six days after their historic victory over Pampas in Buenos Aires.

Captain Clemente Saavedra led from the front, and his performance set the tone for the match. He charged through several defenders on his way to the line with just a few minutes on the clock to signal the Chilean side’s intent. 

Joaquin Lamas and Tomás Salas exchanged penalties, but neither side was able to establish dominance in the first half, with both knowing that defeat would severely dent their chances of reaching the semifinals.

Despite coming under heavy pressure, Selknam were able to get to halftime with their seven-point lead intact. 

The hosts looked rejuvenated at the beginning of the second half and managed to extend their lead when Raimundo Martínez burrowed his way to the line from close range.

Selknam head coach Jake Mangin will have been delighted with the maturity his side showed for much of the half, as they repeatedly shut down Yacare’s attacks without conceding too many penalties. 

With 15 minutes to play, however, the hosts came under huge pressure and the defence finally cracked. Lively winger Juan Daniel González raced over in the corner to close the gap, and just minutes later, Yacare struck again, this time through Julian Quetglas Bojar.

The fullback finished off a blistering Yacare attack, and suddenly the visitors looked the more likely winners with ten minutes to play. 

Selknam deserve huge credit for remaining calm and brilliantly engineered the field position to snatch back victory.

Salas showed no hint of nerves when he stepped up to take a penalty with just 90 seconds left on the clock.

His successful penalty gave Selknam the spoils and ensured that their destiny remains in their own hands going into the final round. 

For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.

Peñarol 19-17 Dogos

Peñarol soared to the top of the table after a brilliant 19-17 away victory over defending champions Dogos.

The manner of the victory was the most impressive thing, as the Uruguayan side dominated the fearsome Dogos pack, scoring three tries from driving mauls in the process.

Abrasive hooker Joaquin Myszka Mace struck 12 minutes into the ferocious encounter, which saw several players removed for head injury assessments. 

It was inevitable that Dogos would strike back, and so it proved when winger Lautaro Cipriani continued his good form by finding the line in the corner.

With Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi in attendance, Cipriani’s try will not have done his chances of featuring in the Pumas squad any harm.

The visitors were able to restore their advantage before the break with backrower Carlos Manuel Deus, the beneficiary of another dominant maul. 

The hosts looked to increase the tempo in the second half, and it eventually bore fruit as the stretched Peñarol defence were powerless to prevent Franco Rossetto from scoring out wide.

A well-struck penalty from Juan Bautista Baronio extended Dogos’ lead to five points with 15 minutes to play, and it looked as though the Córdoba side would be heading to the top of the table. 

With just minutes remaining, Peñarol’s maul came to the fore again. Replacement hooker Sebastian Perez levelled the scores, giving talismanic fly half Felipe Etcheverry the chance to snatch victory.

If Etcheverry was nervous, it didn’t show as he nailed the conversion to put his side in pole position to finish top of the table heading into the playoffs.

Dogos will be frustrated at their failure to hold out for the win, but there is every chance that these two will face off again in the knockout stages. 

Tarucas 54-33 Cobras

Cobras gave it their all but succumbed to a 54-33 defeat to Tarucas, which means they have gone an entire season without a victory.

Tarucas started brightly and took the lead when centre Tomas Medina gathered a clever kick in behind to score.

Cobras hit back almost immediately through Lorenzo Temer Massari, and it was clear the fans were going to be in for a treat. 

Both sides were guilty of overplaying and looked vulnerable to counter-attacks, evidenced when Massari grabbed his second try after a Tarucas attack went awry.

Undeterred, Tarucas kept faith with their expansive attack, and it soon yielded another score from Stefano Ferro after a superb pass from Nicolas Roger.

Both sides scored further tries after kicks in behind to bring a breathless first half to a close with the score 21-21.

Despite Cobras’ best efforts, they simply couldn’t keep pace with Tarucas in the second half, with Roger expertly orchestrating things for the visitors.

The pick of the scores was from Tarucas winger Mateo Pasquini, who gathered his own kick to find the line. The teenage winger is tipped to have a big future and has more than lived up to the billing. 

Tarucas’ win means they still have a chance of reaching the playoffs in their debut season.

Cobras’ season is over, and there will be plenty of soul-searching over the coming months, as the side failed to build on the promise of the 2024 season. 

Round 14

Round Fourteen is the final showdown during the regular season and kicks off with a pivotal clash between Dogos and Selknam, with the latter knowing that a win will secure their place in the semifinals and a defeat will likely see them miss out.

While their place in the playoffs is secure, Dogos will want a win to maximise their chances of a home semifinal, and they could yet top the table.

Peñarol host Pampas with the winner highly likely to top the table, but the loser could well face an away semifinal.

Yacare and Tarucas are relying on a Selknam defeat, but there is every chance that the winner of that clash could sneak into the playoffs if the Chileans slip up. 

By Joe Santamaria