La Plata vs Belgrano

The decisive moment arrived late in the second half. La Plata had regained the lead after a sustained period of pressure, but Belgrano responded with a converted try to go ahead 33-32 with time winding down. Rather than settling for a draw, the home side showed composure beyond their recent form. La Plata worked the ball through the phases, earned a penalty advantage inside Belgrano's half, and elected to kick for the posts rather than chase a try. The three-pointer sailed through, making it 34-33 with minutes remaining.

Belgrano had one final attacking platform from the restart, but La Plata's defence — which had conceded 36-plus points in recent losses to CASI and CUBA — held firm for the closing stages to secure the famous victory.

La Plata's goalkicker played the role of match-winner, landing the late penalty that decided the contest, finishing with a personal haul that proved the difference between the sides. The Canario's back three caused problems throughout, their counter-attacking running generating the territorial gains that kept Belgrano's defence on the back foot.

For Belgrano, Francisco Ferronato continued his strong season with energetic carries, while the Marrón's set piece functioned efficiently, giving them the platform to mount their comeback. Their midfield combination created the line breaks that brought them back from a double-digit deficit.

Player of the Match: La Plata's fly-half, whose composure under pressure and accurate goalkicking decided the contest.

The single-point margin reflects a game where both sides had periods of dominance. Belgrano's five previous wins in this fixture had come by an average margin of 14 points — La Plata's ability to keep the scoreboard ticking in the first half was therefore critical. The Canario's 32-point haul a week earlier at BACRC suggested their attack was finding rhythm, and converting that into 34 points against a stronger Belgrano side represents genuine progress.

La Plata's discipline in the final quarter — avoiding yellow cards that had plagued some of their earlier defeats — was arguably the statistical difference. Belgrano's comeback from behind showed their class, but they could not find the extra score that their territory in the final 10 minutes might have warranted.

The victory lifted La Plata to 33 points from 19 matches in the URBA Top 14 standings, keeping them in 10th position but crucially opening a gap to the relegation places. It also ended a run of five consecutive defeats to Belgrano in the fixture, a psychological barrier La Plata had not breached since the sides first met in 2023.

Belgrano Athletic remained on 46 points in 7th place, still within touching distance of the playoff positions but now four points adrift of Los Tilos in 6th. El Marrón had won four of their previous five heading into this round — including commanding victories over Hindú (36-13) and Champagnat (38-12) — making this setback a significant dent in their momentum with the season entering its closing stages.

La Plata next face a challenging away fixture, while Belgrano return to Virrey del Pino looking to bounce back.

A one-score thriller that La Plata will remember for years — their first ever win over Belgrano Athletic, achieved through grit, accuracy off the tee and a defence that bent but never broke. For Belgrano, it is a missed opportunity to solidify their playoff push, and confirmation that this fixture no longer carries the psychological guarantee it once did.