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Selknam Grounds American Raptors in Super Rugby Americas Opener

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Selknam Grounds American Raptors in Super Rugby Americas Opener

Photo courtesy Super Rugby Americas.

The American Raptors made their first foray into Super Rugby Americas with a 45-10 loss to Selknam.

The Raptors, featuring several players with USA aspirations, a few experienced South Americans, and a group of crossover athletes, are still finding their way in what is a very high level of competition.

Selknam found themselves able to bunch up Raptors defenders and exploited one such moment of confusion for an early try.

Being a little slow to react on a free kick off a scrum led to another and a poor defense of an eightman pick led to a 19-3 halftime deficit. (The Raptors were working hard to compete at the sceum and that eightman pick exploited the fact that Raptors No. 8 Diego Magno was locked in trying to get the shove going rather than backing up flanker Ronan Murphy.Selknam's fourth try was the result of a series of snappy offloads in tight play, and a nicely-executed backline play off a scrum produced the fifth score.

Finding the right spots on defense remained a bit of an issue as the Chile-based Selknam powered over for another. 

Late in the game the Raptors forwards were able to drive reserve hooker Franco Palillo over for the team's first Super Rugby Americas try, but Selknam had the last word with one more score.

Also in Super Rugby action Dogos beat Yacare 30-24 and Pampas downed Cobras Brasil 31-14.

Next up on their month-long road trip in South America, the Raptors play Peñarol on Friday.