PARAGUAY v BRAZIL: Test Rugby CONSUR A/B Promotion-Relegation

27.10.2012
Paraguay v Brazil in Sao Paulo (CONSUR A/B Promotion-Relegation)

Venue: Estádio do Nacional, Barra Funda

Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)

Preview
For the first time in a while promotion-relegation will take place for CONSUR A/B for 2013. Brazil and Paraguay will square off for a place in 2013 CONSUR A.

Paraguay appear to have put the player-union wrangling of the past aside as they walked through the CONSUR B competition with ease in September. Their most recent rugby test match was a 29-14 win over Bermuda in Asuncion in a World Cup qualifying match.

Brazil has shown over the last two seasons that they a re a team on the rise. In this years CONSUR A tournament they pushed both Chile and Uruguay before being defeated. Their second team lost heavily to Argentina.

I expect this to be a close game.

Last Five Encounters
20.05.2011 Brazil 51-14 in Iguazu (CONSUR A Preliminary)
19.05.2010 Brazil 23-18 in Santiago (CONSUR A Preliminary)
02.05.2009 Brazil 36-21 in Montevideo (CONSUR A Preliminary)
29.06.2008 Brazil 15-6 in Asuncion (WCQ America; CONSUR B)
02.10.2005 Paraguay 45-8 in Asuncion (WCQ America R2; S.AM. B Champ)

GWC Rugby Rankings
CONSUR Table: Brazil 4th, Paraguay 5th

IRB Ranking Points
Brazil 51.57, Paraguay 48.95

Prediction: Brazil by 6 points

TEAMS

Brazil Squad

Lucas Abud (São Paulo Athletic Club)

Felipe Claro (São Paulo Athletic Club)

Erick Cogliandro (São José RC)

Lucas Croffi (Pasteur AC)

Matheus Daniel (Jacareí RC)

Daniel Danielewicz (Desterro RC)

João Luiz da Ros (Desterro RC)

Jardel de Mendonça (São Paulo Athletic Club)

Júlio de Mendonça (São Paulo Athletic Club)

Lucas Duque (São José RC)

Moisés Duque (Blagnac SCR, France)

Bruno Garcia (Jacareí RC)

Daniel Gregg, Capt. (Niterói RFC)

Danilo Lima (Rio Branco RC)

Diego Lopez (Pasteur AC)

Thiago Maihara (Pasteur AC)

Allan Martins (Rio Branco RC)

Carlos Oliveira (São José RC)

Jônatas Paulo (Bandeirantes RC)

Lucas Piero (Desterro RC)

Fernando Portugal (Bandeirantes RC)

Martin Schaefer (Rio Branco RC)

Matheus Silva (Ilhabela RC)

Nicholas Smith (Stockport RUFC, England)
Danilo Taino (Ilhabela RC)

Jardel Vettorato (Novo Hamburgo RC)

Adapted from http://www.sharklion.com/proyectos/cbru ... oticia=742

Paraguay Squad

Rodney Fiore, Juan Gavigán, Alvaro Rojas, Víctor Boveda, Guillermo Gómez, Andrés Nasser, José Lezcano, Luis Noceda, Félix Zarate, Ariel López, Carlos Bareiro, Juan Gómez, Gonzalo Bareiro, Eymard Brizuela, Manuel Careaga, Gerard Cuttier, Rodrigo Llamosas, Diego Argaña, Martín Ortíz, Hugo Chaves, Pablo Espinola y Mateo Arevalo.
http://www.facebook.com/UnionDeRugbyDelParaguay