This small city in Northwestern Argentina just had the best start to Super Rugby Americas

Super Rugby Americas kickstarted with a massive home win for debutants Tarucas – 45-6 against Cobras Brasil Rugby – and two narrow wins for Peñarol Rugby against defending champions Dogos XV 29-28 and 29-26 for Yacare XV against Selknam.

The Springboks, the All Blacks, the New Zealand Maori, France, England and so many other travelling teams have gone to Tucumán. They may have won but very seldom conquered.  

The hotbed of rugby in Northwestern Argentina has a unique passion for the oval game, not only for the country but the region and even the continent. 

So, it wasn’t really a surprise that when the region announced a franchise in the growing Super Rugby Americas, Tucumán went into rugby mode.

The orange, direct association with the game, was chosen as the main colour of Tarucas, a team containing players from a handful of provinces but mainly from Tucumán. Based in the inner city, walking through its streets in the buildup to their first official game, there was a buzz.

Organizers, all of them die-hard rugby fanatics, were confident they might have a few thousand at the Tucumán Lawn Tennis field. 

Super Rugby Americas is still in its infancy and stadia are not big – in some cases, rugby clubs are upgraded to fit the professional game. Tarucas’ home field will soon be upgraded to around 10k, so for their debut against Brazilian outfit Cobras Brasil Rugby, having a good crowd would have been pleasing. 

By the time both teams took the field, it was a full ground, with 8,500 fans ready to push the side to their first win. Organizers, after working so hard to be ready, were delighted. 

Historically, Tucumán was best known for its forwards’ play and mauling game, synonym with their style. Modern rugby is a lot more than that, but wise teams play to their strengths. 

Despite an early penalty against them, and being under 6-3 in the opening minutes, the tide soon turned and five tries in the opening half gave them a comfortable 31-6.

Lanky flanker Facundo García Hamilton and former Pumitas’ hooker Juan Manuel Vivas scoring two tries a piece from the same pattern: penalty, kick to the corner, lineout, maul.

The crowd reaction was loud. They were loving the ol’ mauling game! 

As soon as the teams were back on the field, rain started to fall and some handling mistakes crept in.

Vivas got his hat-trick and scrumhalf Simón Benítez Cruz, transferred from Pampas in Buenos Aires to re-ignite his career, scored a neat try after a good handling move. 

The Brazilian side, who were by then well and truly beaten, were facing a bigger score when a lightning gave them a perfect escape. Referee Damián Schneider, who a week before had been running touch at Twickenham, ooops…Allianz Stadium, in the England v France heartbreaker, did not hesitate.

With thirteen minutes to be played he sent the teams to the changing rooms, fans left the field for cover as rain fell by the bucketload. The game was never restarted and Tarucas’, playing in front of Pumas’ head coach Felipe Contepomi, quietly celebrated their 45-6 win and the marker they’ve already placed. 

Super Rugby Americas had started a day earlier, also under the rain in Montevideo, Uruguay. Friday city lights had Peñarol Rugby, champion in 2022 and 2023, hosting 2024 champions Dogos XV (Argentina). 

With twelve regular internationals, the Uruguayan side waited until the last move of the game to secure an important early win. After a lackluster first half, in which the Argentine team had gone 14-0 up to go to the sheds 14-7, the scoreboard got ticking. 

Before the 50th minute mark, lock Juan Manuel Rodríguez muscled his way to score a try. Manuel Diana, a regular Tero, scored a third try.  

The next thirty minutes had two teams working hard for the win, exchanging tries. Future Puma scrumhalf Agustín Moyano seemed to have secured the win four minutes from the end for the visitors. Dogos then gave away a penalty, and the maul from the ensuing lineout gave replacement hooker Joaquín Myszka the winning try for the 29-28 win. 

The opening round closed in the heat of Asunción, Paraguay’s capital, with Yacare XV taking an important feather off visitors Selknam (Chile) winning 29-26. 

Scoring two tries apiece, it all came down to the kicking prowess of Joaquín Lamas, who kicked 19 points for Yacare, the last five minutes from the end. 

Selknam had a last gasp opportunity to snatch the win, but good defence from the Paraguayans forced a knock-on that gave them, eventually, the win. 

On Friday, Peñarol Rugby will host Yacare XV in Montevideo, Saturday will open with Selknam travelling to Sao Paulo to play Cobras Brasil Rugby. 

Pampas, the Buenos Aires-based franchise, will play their first game next in the repeat the 2024 final against Dogos XV in Córdoba, closing the round.