The 2025 URBA Top 12 final was the final of the 2025 URBA Top 12, the 126th. edition of Torneo de la URBA, the regional rugby union competition organised by Unión de Rugby de Buenos Aires (URBA). It is the oldest rugby competition in South America and one of the oldest club competitions in the world.

The match was contested by Newman and San Isidro Club (mostly known for its acronym "SIC"), and was held in Estadio del CASI. Since the URBA implemented the playoffs system in 1998,El torneo de la URBA da un abrupto giro a partir de 2017 , La Nación, 20 May 2016 it was the 2nd. final contested by Newman (having lost to Hindú in 2008)Hindú festejó el tricampeonato at aplenorugby.com.ar, 2 Nov 2008 while SIC played their 13rd. final, having won eight of them.Historia, including list of champions at urba.org.ar

Newman won the match 15–3 to win their first league title.Newman derrotó al SIC y se quedó por primera vez con el URBA Top 12 at urba.org.ar. 1 Nov 2025¡Newman histórico! Venció 15-3 al SIC y logró su primer título de la URBA Top 12 at espn.com.ar, 1 Nov 2025

Background Since its establishment in 1935 after a schism in Club Atlético San Isidro,Institucional at sanisidroclub.com.ar San Isidro Club has become one of the landmark clubs of Argentine rugby, having won 27 URBA titles (second to C.A. San Isidro which leads with 33 titles) and 4 Nacional de Clubes championships.Todos los títulos del SIC en el Nacional de Clubes at espn.com.ar. 19 Nov 2023

On the other hand, Newman, established in 1975 by alumni of Cardinal Newman College, had only played one final in 2008 but they lost to Hindú, which was the predominant force in Argentine rugby in those times.

Qualified teams Team Previous final app. Newman 2008 SIC 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 Note

Venue

The final was held in La Catedral ("the Cathedral of rugby"),Estadio del CASI by Adrián Redi at estadiosdeargentina.com.ar, 11 Jan 2014 nickname of Estadio del CASI, earned due to it is distant 500 mts from the San Isidro Cathedral,CASI-SIC, el superclásico del rugby argentino on Deportea. 15 Oct 2024 a historic landmark since 1963.Historia y Arquitectura at catedraldesanisidro.orgCatedral de San Isidro Labrador (solar) at argentina.gob.arMONUMENTOS Y LUGARES HISTORICOS NACIONALES - Decreto 9.226/63 which has been the venue of URBA finals since 2008.Hindú, a lo campeón at aplenorugby.com.ar. 4 Nov 2007 The stadium, with capacity for 4,500 spectactors,Súper Rugby Américas: los estadios de todos los equipos on espn.com.ar. 12 Feb 2025 is one of the oldest in Argentina so the club has always been on the same site since 1902, when Manuel Aguirre, owner of a large chacra on Sánez Peña street, gave the club a portion to settle down there.

The stadium is located in downtown San Isidro, has a lighting system for night matches and a concrete grandstand inaugurated in the 1920s. When San Isidro competed in football tournament organised by AFA, the stadium was also used for that sport.Memoria y Balance 1922. Asociación Amateurs de Football at Biblioteca AFA

Road to the final

After the regular season, four teams qualified to the semifinals in order to decide the two clubs that played the final.2025 Top 12. Fixture y resultados at urba.org.ar

Newman Round SIC OpponentResult Stage OpponentResult Regatas BV 26–27 (H) Matchday 1 Los Tilos 23–27 (A) SIC 34–24 (A) Matchday 2 Newman 24–34 (H) Los Tilos 21–23 (H) Matchday 3 Hindú 32–28 (A) Alumni 24–14 (H) Matchday 4 Buenos Aires 27–34 (H) Hindú 14–20 (A) Matchday 5La Plata 19–24 (H)Buenos Aires 18–13 (H) Matchday 6CUBA 38–31 (H)La Plata 21–17 (A) Matchday 7 Belgrano 21–43 (A) CUBA 21–20 (H) Matchday 8CASI 16–13 (H)San Luis 19–6 (A) Matchday 9 Belgrano 21–41 (A) Regatas BV 38–17 (H) Matchday 10 CASI 22–8 (H) San Luis 20–16 (A) Matchday 11 Alumni 48–24 (A) Regatas BV 26–24 (A) Matchday 12 Los Tilos 28–16 (H) SIC 45–21 (H) Matchday 13 Newman 21–45 (H) Los Tilos 24–17 (A) Matchday 14 Hindú 23–21 (H)Alumni 30–22 (A) Matchday 15 Buenos Aires 35–23 (A) Hindú 34–17 (H) Matchday 16 La Plata 26–10 (H) Buenos Aires 32–10 (A) Matchday 17 CUBA 38–34 (A)La Plata 41–12 (H) Matchday 18 Belgrano 50–39 (H)CUBA 39–36 (A) Matchday 19 CASI 29–33 (A)Belgrano 35–25 (H) Matchday 20 San Luis 20–11 (H) CASI 16–26 (A) Matchday 21Regatas BV 19–15 (A) San Luis 29–26 (H) Matchday 22Alumni 44–47 (H) Pos. Team Pts. P W T L Qualification 1 CASI 80 221804643465 Semifinals 2 Belgrano 76221705756580 3 Newman 71221606583469 4 SIC 70221507658565 Newman Round SIC OpponentResult Stage OpponentResult Belgrano 41–24 (A) Semifinals CASI 13–9 (A)

Match The game was tense from both parts in the beginning, with none of both teams willing to take risks. Lot of kicking, tough defenses, and few attacking breaks were common plays of the opening minutes. In this context, the San Isidro's side seemed a bit more comfortable using tackling as their primary weapon.

Newman had a chance to take the lead, but Gonzalo Gutiérrez Taboada missed from an easy position. Meanwhile, on the other side, the patience of a team familiar with these situations proved crucial. Even with one less player (Nicanor Acosta received a yellow card), they remained untroubled. At 38' Faustino Santarelli received a 20-minute red card for a hard tackle, further complicating things for Santiago Piccaluga's team. Santiago Pavlovsky quickly converted the penalty, opening the scoring for SIC.

However, Newman didn't give up, continuing to press and eventually getting their reward. First, Gutiérrez Taboada leveled the score with a kick, and then, in stoppage time, Marcelo Brandi scored a try which was effusively celebrated by their supporters at La Catedral. The bordó team took advantage of the situation in the second half, not only controlling the game but increasing the score with a successful attempt by Bautista Bosch. The last 20 minutes saw the team from Benavídez enduring the attempts of SIC to score any point to finally achieve their first league title.

Match details

FB 15 Juan Bautista Daireaux RW 14 Santiago Marolda OC 13 Benjamín Lanfranco IC 12 Tomás Keena LW 11 Jerónimo Ulloa FH 10 Gonzalo Gutiérrez Taboada SH 9 Lucas Marguery N8 8 Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar OF 7 Joaquín de la Vega BF 6 Faustino Santarelli RL 5 Alejandro Urtubey LL 4 Pablo Cardinal TP 3 Bautista Bosch HK 2 Marcelo Brandi LP 1 Miguel PrinceSubstitutions: L 20 Jerónimo Ureta C 23 Cruz Ulloa FL 16 James Wright Coaches: Santiago Piccaluga Marcos Ayerza

FB 15 Bernabé López Fleming RW 23 Jacinto Campbell OC 13 Nicanor Acosta IC 21 Carlos Pirán (c) LW 11 Timoteo Silva FH 10 Santiago Pavlovsky SH 9 Mateo Albanese N8 8 Tomás Meyrelles OF 7 Santos Fernández de Oliveira BF 6 Andrea Panzarini RL 5 Manuel Curuchaga LL 4 Ciro Plorutti TP 3 Benjamín Chiapp HK 2 Ignacio Bottazzini LP 1 Marcos PiccininiSubstitutions: L 19 Tomás Legarre FL 20 Franco Delger Coaches: Eduardo Victorica Gonzalo Longo

References