Newman beat Hindú 33-32 at La Catedral to win a second URBA title, extending its unbeaten streak to 25 matches.
The San Isidro club, which marked its 50th anniversary last year without winning a championship, has now completed the best sporting cycle in its history, La NACIÓN reported.
Twelve months ago, Newman celebrated its cincuentenario stuck in a losing rut. Now it has captured three trophies in rapid succession: the Top 12 after beating SIC 15-3 in San Isidro at the start of November 2025, the national championship following a 38-15 victory over Marista de Mendoza in Benavídez, and now the back-to-back URBA crown.
“Now you can see the results of a long process,” said top scorer Gonzalo Gutiérrez Taboada, who finished with 309 points. “It is the consequence of years of fighting, of being there, of not lowering our arms when the title almost slipped away.”
The turnaround spans two seasons. In 2025, with 12 teams competing, Newman played 24 matches, won 18 and lost six, finishing third with 71 points. This year, under coaches Santiago Piccaluga, Marcos Ayerza and Patricio O’Connor, the team played 28 matches, won 26, lost once to SIC 37-10 and drew 21-21 with CUBA.
Newman’s 24-match streak without defeat equals the third-best mark in URBA history, matching Atlético de San Isidro’s run from 2012 to 2013. The all-time record belongs to SIC with 33 unbeaten matches across 2001-2003, followed by CASI with 32 from 1980-1982, according to La NACIÓN.
| Team | Matches without defeat | Period |
|---|---|---|
| SIC | 33 | 2001-2003 |
| CASI | 32 | 1980-1982 |
| Atlético de San Isidro | 24 | 2012-2013 |
| Newman | 24 | 2025-2026 |
Hooker Beltrán Salese led the try scorers with 21, filling the spot vacated by retired Marcelo Brandi. Fullback Juan Bautista Daireaux, who left rugby three years ago and returned last season, admitted the wait made the title sweeter.
After the final whistle, the squad rode the roof of a Benavídez volunteer fire department truck into the club at 22:30, wearing “Bicampeón” shirts, just as they had in 2025. Fireworks lit the sky over the main pitch while bands played until dawn. Former president Mauricio Macri, a Newman alumnus, and former economy minister Alfonso Prat-Gay attended the party, La NACIÓN reported.
“No sé si estamos marcando una época, pero sí intentamos todos que, al ponernos esta camiseta, la vara quede cada vez más alta”, said prop Bautista Bosch.
The season is not over. In two weeks, Newman travels to Córdoba to face El Tala in the Nacional de Clubes final, seeking another national crown.
Newman’s 24-game unbeaten streak equals the third-best mark in URBA tournament history. Its 24 matches without defeat tie the third-best run in tournament history, behind SIC’s 33 and CASI’s 32, according to La NACIÓN.
Gonzalo Gutiérrez Taboada led with 309 points, including four tries, 39 penalties and 86 conversions, over twenty seasons in the first team.
Newman will visit El Tala in Córdoba within two weeks for the Nacional de Clubes final.