The first of the Super Rugby Americas Semi Finals will be battled out in Buenos Aires. This Argentine derby will see Pampas coming into the game having finished top spot in the group and off the back of a solid victory over Peñarol last weekend. Dogos XV should be fired up after losing their top 2 spot after a late defeat to Selknam last week, who also leap frogged them in the division to finish 3rd. If last weeks result doesn’t fire them up enough, surely an Argentine Derby will fill any remaining, especially as Dogos XV have the advantage in recent head to heads. Dogos boast 7 victories in the last 9, with a draw in February this year the closest Pampas have come, after their last victory over Dogos in May last year. This is a repeat of last seasons final too, where Dogos won the title.
The first of the Super Rugby Americas Semi Finals will be battled out in Buenos Aires. This Argentine derby will see Pampas coming into the game having finished top spot in the group and off the back of a solid victory over Peñarol last weekend. Dogos XV should be fired up after losing their top 2 spot after a late defeat to Selknam last week, who also leap frogged them in the division to finish 3rd. If last weeks result doesn’t fire them up enough, surely an Argentine Derby will fill any remaining, especially as Dogos XV have the advantage in recent head to heads. Dogos boast 7 victories in the last 9, with a draw in February this year the closest Pampas have come, after their last victory over Dogos in May last year. This is a repeat of last seasons final too, where Dogos won the title.
Pampas continue with Ignacio Ichauspe at fly half even with him out of position. But after a solid display and clinical finishing from Pampas it looked natural. A trio of changes in the starting line up are made with Juan Penoucos coming in at 4, Nahuel Clausen comes in at 11, & Santiago Pernas will start at 14. Pampas have gone with a good mix of youth and that continues into the Semi Final. With the summer Internationals coming up, this battle in Buenos Aires will be a great opportunity for players on both sides to put their hands up. Pampas will be hoping to make use of decent weather conditions and a fiery home advantage to stop the rut they have found themselves against Dogos recently.
Dogos XV come into this game with the form guide with them against Pampas but recent results in their league form may have come at the wrong time. The late defeat last week to Selknam and defeat to Peñarol the week before that, may have knocked the defending Champions off their stride. Dogos have run a few changes for the trip to Buenos Aires, Lautaro Simes comes in at 4, Ignacio Gandini starts at 7, Agustín Moyano is back from injury to start at scrum half, Julián Hernández continues out of position moving to 14 from full back. With Mateo Sánchez in at full back. Juan Bautista Baronio continues at fly half and is top point scorer this season with 148 points, he will be looking to add further to that tally.
Potentially on the form guide its easy to call this in the favour of Dogos XV. But having put in a great performance last week, and home advantage. I am going to side with a Pampas victory tonight!
