With a spot on the line in the 2016 South American A Championship Brazil overcame Colombia this evening. The result was a welcome victory not only for Brazil but for the upcoming Americas Rugby Championship as the Tupis went into tonight’s game ranked below non-participants Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Colombia.

The home side won on the back of a very powerful scrum. Uruguayan referee Joaquín Montes awarded Brazil countless penalties as the Tupis drove Los Tucanes backwards throughout the match. The weapon provided the means and the platform for Brazil to not only gain ground but to also score points.

Receiving the ball from a retreating scrum caused the Colombians immeasurable problems as the fast and talented backs were unable to play much rugby at all. It forced the visitors into a high tackle rate which enabled Brazil to seize the advantage as the game wore on as they converted a 13-0 half time advantage into a healthy win.

Back-rower Nick Smith crossed for the only try of the first half. The number 8’s dive over the try line emphasized the frustration of the Tupis in 2015. By not playing to their peak Brazil went into tonight’s game with a dismal record of having lost to Chile, Germany, Paraguay and Uruguay in 2015 with no wins in return.

Fullback Lucas Tranquez added the conversion and also kicked two first half penalties. The thirteen point advantage existed based on the superior forward effort, notably upfront. It enabled the backs to exploit opportunities in the second half as Colombia clearly displayed fatigue.

Winger Stefano Giantorno, center Felipe Sancery (2), scrumhalf Beukes Cremer and replacement Guilherme Coghetto all scored second half tries as Brazil racked up a 44-0 scoreline. Colombia threatened but was unable to finish off half chances.

In defeating Los Tucanes Brazil will improve its position in the World Rankings and, importantly, will enter the six-team Americas Rugby Championship. The win was also of extreme importance from a Brazilian domestic perspective as twelve teams had players involved in the match. It marked a notable change to the São Paulo-São José dominated teams of the recent past.

Scorers

Brazil

Try: Smith, Giantorno, Sancery (2), Cremer, Coghetto

Conversion: Tranquez (3), Duque

Penalty: Tranquez (2)

Colombia

(No scorers)

Brazil

15 Lucas Tranquez (SPAC), 14 Stefano Giantorno (San Luis, Argentina), 13 Felipe Sancery (Albi, France), 12 Martin Schaefer (SPAC), 11 Robert Tenório (Pasteur), 10 Lucas Duque (São José), 9 Beukes Cremer (Pasteur), 8 Nick Smith (SPAC), 7 João Luiz da Ros (Desterro), 6 Mark Jackson (Desterro), 5 Matheus Wolf (Joaca), 4 Lucas Piero (Desterro), 3 Jardel Vettorato (San Diego), 2 Daniel Danielewicz (Desterro), 1 Wilton Rebolo (São José)

16 Yan Rosetti (CUBA, Argentina), 17 Caique Silva (CUQ, Argentina), 18 Lucas Abud (SPAC), 19 Felipe Tissot (Curitiba), 20 Cléber Dias “Gelado” (Wallys), 21 Matheus Cruz (Jacareí), 22 Mateus Estrela (Niterói), 23 Guilherme Coghetto (Farrapos)

Colombia

15 Jorge Andrés Alvarez (Antioquia), 14 Juan Gabriel Davila Metaute (Antioquia), 13 Brayan Campiño Riascos (Valle), 12 Camilo Cadavid Cardona (Antioquia), 11 Jhon Arley Urrutia (Antioquia), 10 Emmanuel Bedoya Pulgarín (Antioquia), 9 Jeferson Borja Restrepo (Antioquia), 8 Sebastían Mejia Gil (Antioquia), 7 Ferney Santiago Mejia (Antioquia), 6 Gerson Ortiz Cañas (Antioquia), 5 Andrés Quintero Espinosa (Antioquia), 4 Dani Giraldo Mesa (Antioquia), 3 Emanuel Mendoza Mosquera (Antioquia), 2 Manuel Correa Quintana (Antioquia), 1 Jaider Pemberthy Muñoz (Antioquia)

16 Jhoann Mantilla (Santander), 17 Mauricio Espinal Vargas (Antioquia), 18 Andrés Zafra Tarazona (Norte de Santander),19 César Arango (Antioquia), 20 Rafael Altahona (Atlántico), 21 Pablo Arboleda Lemoine (Bogotá), 22 Eduardo Vásques Montoya (Antioquia)

2015 Brazil 44-0 Colombia

2008 Brazil 34-6 Colombia

2007 Brazil 43-3 Colombia

2006 Brazil 37-3 Colombia

2005 Brazil 64-0 Colombia

2004 Brasil 74-0 Colombia

2003 Brazil 35-10 Colombia

2002 Brazil 64-0 Colombia

2001 Brazil 44-12 Colombia