Chile Upset Argentina XV To win Americas Rugby Championship Title

The progress of Chile rugby continues. The Chile XV claimed a last gasp win over the Argentina XV in Valparaiso, Chile on Sunday. Matías Garafulic converted a try in the 80th minute to complete a come-from-behind victory. In beating the Argentina XV 28-27, the Chile XV are the 2026 Americas Rugby Championship (ARC) Champions.

The pulsating contest went down to the wire after the Chile XV staged a a spectacular comeback in the final quarter. Matías Garafulic’s converted Ernesto Tchimino’s try to convert 4/4 (100%) for the afternoon. In contrast, Ignacio Dogliani converted 2/4 (50%) of the Argentina XV’s four tries.

The Argentina XV were on top in the first-half. The visitors held a 15-7 lead after an excellent start. A try against the run of play saw Chile losing the ball and Mateo Pasquini scoring 85 meters down field for the Argentina XV. Ignacio Dogliani missed the conversion but landed a drop-goal to to establish an 8-0 lead.

Franco Rossetto extended the lead to 15-0 on 29 minutes. The Chile XV cancelled it out with their one score of the first-half with Santiago Videla scoring and Matías Garafullic converting.

Hooker Martín Vaca scored twice in the second-half for the Argentina XV. His first was from a lineout to maul which Dogliani did not convert. The score put the Argentina XV out to a 20-7 lead after 45 minutes.

The Chile XV fought back to score on 53 minutes. Scrum-half Benjamín Videla finished off an opportunity created by the exciting young Marco Alvano. The conversion made it a 20-14 scoreline.

A second try from Martín Vaca came swiftly. Vaca’s second try was another lineout to maul score. With Dogliani landing the conversion, the Argentina XV were 27-14 up after 56 minutes.

The Chileans maintained their focus and responded through replacement tight-head prop, Matías Dittus. He barged over on 68 minutes which Garafulic converted to make it a six-point deficit. The defining moment came eleven minutes later with Ernesto Tcimino scoring in the right corner.

Matías Garafulic landed the conversion from near the sideline from an unfavorable angle. The Chileans were almost celebrating too early as they needed to take the kick-off restart. They failed to with there Argentina XV having one final shot at regaining the lead, and victory. They won the ball but a knock-on followed from which Paraguayan referee Sergio Alvarenga blew full-time.

Victory saw Santiago Videla lifting the ARC trophy. The title came after an unbeaten ARC tournament. The Chile XV opened with a win over the Uruguay XV and then defeated Paraguay in their matches before Sunday’s clash against the Argentina XV.

The ARC was uncapped as three of the four teams were the next-of-XV selections. Los Cóndores will return to action in November in there World Rugby Nations Cup. Chile face Portugal, Spain and Zimbabwe in the end-of-year internationals.

SCORING

CHILE XV (28)
TRY – S Videla (34′), B Videla (52′), D Saavedra (67′), E Tchimino (78′)
CON – M Garafullic 4/4 (35′, 53′ 68′, 79′)

ARGENTINA XV (27)
TRY – M Pasquini (5′), F Rossetto (27′), M Vaca 2 (44′, 55′)
CON – I Dogliani 2/4 (28′, 56′)
DG – I Dogliani 1/1 (22′)
YC – D Correa (23′)

LINE-UPS

CHILE XV
1 Salvador Lues, 2 Augusto Böhme, 3 Iñaki Gurruchaga, 4 Santiago Pedrero, 5 Bruno Sáez, 6 Ernesto Tchimino, 7 Clemente Armstrong, 8 Alfonso Escobar, 9 Benjamín Videla, 10 Rodrigo Fernández, 11 Marco Alvano, 12 Domingo Saavedra, 13 Santiago Videla (capt.), 14 Felipe Méndez, 15 Matías Garafulic

Replacements: 16 Rafael Silva, 17 Max Keneddy, 18 Matías Dittus, 19 Max Schlesinger, 20 Joaquín Milesi, 21 Marcelo Torrealba, 22 Juan Cruz Reyes, 23 Tomás Salas

ARGENTINA XV
1 Diego Correa, 2 Martín Vaca, 3 Enzo Avaca, 4 Francisco Sluga, 5 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 6 Ignacio Gandini, 7 Joaquín Pascual Viale, 8 Juan Pedro Bernasconi, 9 Nicolás Viola, 10 Ignacio Dogliani (capt.), 11 Bautista Lescano, 12 Bautista Estellés, 13 Pedro Coll, 14 Mateo Pasquini, 15 Franco Rossetto

Replacements: 16 Juan Ignacio Greising Revol, 17 Nicolás Revol Pitt, 18 Ignacio Orsetti, 19 Joaquín Domínguez, 20 Tomás Dande, 21 Alejo Sugasti, 22 Federico Serpa, 23 Luciano Avaca

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS