Chile secured a spot in the South American Final. Saturday’s 35-20 win over Brazil in Santiago wrapped up the two match series. Los Cóndores won game one 35-21 in São Paulo. When combined with game two, Chile won on aggregate by 70-41. Chile now await the winner of Paraguay vs Uruguay to determine who qualifies for Rugby World Cup 2027 as South America 1.
Brazil had a bright start in Santiago. Thiago Oviedo opened the scoring with a penalty. Chile had been unsuccessful with an earlier penalty. Brazil were combative and in the hunt in the opening quarter. however, the home side withstood the pressure and responded on 19 minutes through captain Clemente Saavedra.
The skipper’s try came from a maul. Inside center Santiago Videla added the conversion for Los Cóndores. Videla would land two penalties as the first-half continued. Meanwhile, Brazil was unable to add to Oviedo’s early kick. This saw Chile leading 15-3 at half-time.
When combined with the +14 advantage from game one, Chile were +26 on aggregate at half-time. Brazil needed to respond quickly and they did so with Oviedo opening the second-half scoring with a penalty. Brazil then can alive with Endy Willian Pinheiro scoring a try from a maul and Chile in trouble with Saavedra yellow carded.
The game was balanced at 15-13 in favor of Chile. Videla gave Chile breathing space with a penalty and Brazil found themselves on the back foot with flanker Matheus Cláudio yellow carded. Raimundo Martínez made full-use of the one-man advantage; the flanker sliced through to score for Chile.
Leonel Moreno hit-back to give Brazil a spark of hope. The replacement front-rower crossed from a pick-and-go. Los Cóndores ended the match on a high, however. Videla landed a penalty and replacement tight head prop Matías Dittus scored the game’s final try.
The 35-20 victory was one of two South American Semi Finals played on Saturday. The other match saw Paraguay hosting Uruguay in Asunción. Los Teros did not play their best rugby but were still comfortable winners by a scoreline of 38-0. Game two of the series will be in Montevideo in August.
| SOUTH AMERICAN RWC QUALIFYING PICTURE |
Chile’s series win over Brazil sees Los Cóndores confirmed for the South American Final. Uruguay are well-placed to join the Chileans in the final. Brazil await the loser of Uruguay vs Paraguay, on aggregate. Os Tupis will face that team for a spot in repechage alongside Belgium, Namibia and one other, yet to be confirmed, country.
Paraguay earned the right to compete in the final round of the South American qualifiers for Rugby World Cup 2027. Los Yacarés did so by claiming a record win over Colombia in October. The 49-18 victory saw Paraguay securing the final spot in the Sudamericano 2025 alongside Brazil, Chile and Uruguay.
Colombia were champions of the third tier of South America. The Four Nations competition, which also featured countries from Central America, involved Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and Venezuela. Peru defeated Costa Rica 44-0, and Costa Rica had also lost to Colombia which meant a winless tournament and bottom place. Peru fell to Venezuela with Colombia beating Venezuela 50-05 in the final .
The Sudamericano 2025 champion will qualify for Australia 2027 as South America 1. That team will join Argentina as the second South American competitor confirmed in the tournament.
The runner-up of the Sudamericano 2025 will face the bottom team from the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup in a winner goes to the Rugby World Cup clash. The third placed team from the Sudamericano 2025 will advance to the Final Place Play-Off tournament to determine the 24th competitor at the World Cup.
CHILE (35)
TRY – R Martínez (2), C Saavedra, M Dittus
CON – S Videla (3)
PEN – S Videla (3)
BRAZIL (20)
TRY – EW Pinheiro; L Moreno
CON – T Oviedo (2)
PEN – T Oviedo (2)
CHILE
1 Salvador Lues, 2 Diego Escobar, 3 Iñaki Gurruchaga, 4 Santiago Pedrero, 5 Javier Eissmann, 6 Clemente Saavedra (capt.), 7 Raimundo Martínez, 8 Alfonso Escobar, 9 Lucas Berti, 10 Rodrigo Fernández, 11 Nicolás Saab, 12 Santiago Videla, 13 Matías Garafulic, 14 Nicolás Garafulic, 15 Iñaki Ayarza
Replacements: 16 Norman Aguayo, 17 Javier Carrasco, 18 Matías Dittus, 19 Bruno Sáez, 20 Ernesto Tchimino, 21 Juan Cruz Reyes, 22 Clemente Armstrong, 23 Luca Strabucchi
BRAZIL
1 Caique Segura, 2 Henrique Ferreira, 3 Wilton Rebolo, 4 Matteo Dell’Acqua, 5 Hélder Lúcio, 6 Matheus Cláudio, 7 Adrio de Melo, 8 André Arruda, 9 Lucas Spago, 10 Thiago Oviedo, 11 Robert Tenório, 12 Antônio Zanatta, 13 Carlo Mignot, 14 Lorenzo Massari Temer (capt.), 15 João do Amaral
Replacements: 16 Endy Willian Pinheiro, 17 Brendon Alves, 18 Leonel Moreno, 19 Ben Donald, 20 Felipe Rosa, 21 Rodolfo Martins, 22 Felipe Gonçalves, 23 Lucas Tranquez
Video: To Follow
Referee: Francisco González (UY)
Assistant Referees: Juan Martínez (AR); Esteban Filipanics (AR)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (UY)
