Brazil claims historic win over USA

Brazil has notched the first big upset of the newly minted Americas Rugby Championship as they upended the USA 24-23 at home. The 42nd ranked Brazil used spirited play to take down the 16th ranked USA in an improbable win. With their victory, Brazil has stamped their mark on the 2016 ARC and at the same time dealt a massive blow to the USA’s hopes of winning the inaugural cross-border competition. After coming away with a tie against the Argentina XV and wins over Canada and Chile, the USA stood in the pole position in the competition with two away matches left.

While a handful overseas pros were unavailable for selection, the squad fielded by the Eagles was far from a second rate side as it included a number of players that featured in their first three ARC matches took the pitch against Brazil. After falling behind 18-0, the USA mounted a comeback and held a 23-21 lead as time dwindled. Some curious decisions led to a penalty goal from Moisés Duque to give Brazil the historic win.

“First of all let me thank the supporters who came here,” said flyhalf Moisés Duque whom accounted for 14 of Brazil’s 24 points. “It was really beautiful. More importantly let me thank all the staff who have made this possible for Brazil. Now our work is going to start appearing and be careful to take note of Brazil, Brazil is arriving”.

“This group we have here is sensational, but this is not everything that he have to show. The Americas Rugby Championship is coming to a close but there is still a lot. There is next year and we are going to get on with our work”

Brazil started off the match and capitalized on a number of mistakes that came from an Eagles side that appeared as if they were taking their opponent lightly. Within the first 15 minutes of play, Duque had slotted two penalty goals and Daniel Sancery crossed over for the first try of the match. The conversion from Duque gave Brazil a 13-0 lead and left the USA reeling. Brazil wasn’t finished as scrumhalf Lucas Duque added to their lead with a try to push the score to 18-0.

It wasn’t until the 30th minute that the USA got on the scoreboard as James Bird slotted a penalty goal to cut Brazil’s lead to 18-3. Just before half Joseph Taufete’e added a try to leave the score at 18-8 going into the break.

The Eagles came out and picked up the first score of the second half when debutante Aladdin Schirmer scored to cut the score to 18-13. With the tide beginning to turn, Brazil used a series of Eagle penalties to get another penalty goal from Duque to put the score at 21-13.

Niku Kruger crossed over for a try roughly ten minutes later and converted the try to close the gap to 21-20. Kruger backed that up with a penalty to give the USA their first lead of the match 23-21 with less than ten minutes to play. In the final minutes of the match, the USA had opportunities to close out the match, but couldn’t get the job done. After giving away a penalty deep in their own half, Duque lined up one final penalty as time expired and nailed it to give Brazil a 24-23 win over the USA.

The victory gave Brazil their first win of the ARC, while the USA is now in a position where they need help to win the ARC crown.

The two sides close out their Americas Rugby Championship campaign next week. The USA travels to face Uruguay while Brazil finishes by hosting Argentina.

 

SCORING

BRAZIL 24
Tries – D. Sancery (13′), L. Duque (22′)
Cons – M. Duque 1/2 (14′)
Pens – M. Duque 4/4 (4′, 7′, 50′, 80′)
Yellow cards – A. Arruda (39′)

USA 23
Tries – J. Taufete’e (35′), A. Schirmer (46′), N. Kruger (64′)
Cons – J. Bird 1/3 (65′)
Pens – J. Bird 1/1 (29′), N. Kruger 1/1 (72′), J. Eloff 0/1

 

TEAMS

BRAZIL
1 Lucas Abud (18 Jonatas Paulo 57′), 2 Yan Rosetti (16 Daniel Danielewicz 62′), 3 Wilton Rebolo (17 Caíque Silva 68′), 4 Lucas Piero (19 Diego López 50′), 5 Luiz Vieira, 6 André Arruda, 7 João Luiz da Ros (capt.) (20 Gabriel Paganini HT), 8 Nick Smith, 9 Lucas Duque, 10 Moisés Duque, 11 Laurent Bourda-Couhet, 12 Martin Schaefer, 13 Felipe Sancery, 14 Stefano Giantorno (22 Guilherme Coghetto 52′), 15 Daniel Sancery

Not used: 21 Beukes Cremer, 23 Robert Tenório

USA
1 Demecus Beach (18 Eric Fry 31′), 2 Joe Taufete’e (16 Mike Sosene-Feagai 58′), 3 Olive Kilifi (capt.), 4 Brodie Orth, 5 Ben Landry, 6 James King (19 Hanco Germishuys 76′), 7 Aladdin Schirmer, 8 David Tameilau, 9 Niku Kruger, 10 James Bird (21 JP Eloff 70′), 11 Ryan Matyas (23 Tim Stanfill 52′), 12 Andrew Suniula, 13 Mike Garrity (22 Chad London 52′), 14 Kingsley McGowan (20 Mike Te’o 67′), 15 Jake Anderson

Not used: 17 Cam Falcon

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Chris Assmus (Canada)
Assistants: Henrique Platais (Brazil) & Ricardo Sant’Anna (Brazil)

 

Attendance: 3,798