Hindú rallied from 20 points down to beat Alumni and tighten the playoff race

Hindú looked beaten. Early in the second half, the home side trailed Alumni 14-34 and appeared to be letting a rare chance slip away against a direct rival for the playoffs. Then the team produced a furious comeback and won 43-37 in one of the most dramatic matches of the URBA Top 14 season.

The contest in Don Torcuato brought together two strong teams with little room for error. Hindú entered under greater pressure, sitting on 61 points after an inconsistent season. Alumni had 66 and had enjoyed a powerful second half of the campaign, although Newman had halted its momentum three rounds earlier.

Alumni played the more convincing rugby for long stretches. Its discipline, authority and direct attacking style allowed it to build a comfortable lead, while Hindú struggled with the uncertainty that has marked its season. The hosts also paid a price for ill discipline. Franco Diviesti received a yellow card midway through the first period, and Nicolás D’Amorim soon followed him to the sin bin for 10 minutes. Even with 14 players, Alumni accelerated and put Hindú under heavy pressure.

But Hindú responded in the way its players say has become part of the club’s identity. Nicolás Amaya, who replaced his brother Santino at the start of the second half, described the reaction with a broad smile: “We are like that… That is part of our club, you know? We generally react when faced with adversity.” Hindú’s comeback closed a six-point victory and brought it within two points of third place, with five rounds still to play.

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We are like that… That is part of our club, you know? We generally react when faced with adversity.