Berchesi stars as Uruguay defeat Argentina XV

Los Teros gave their home supporters a fond farewell this afternoon in Montevideo. The Uruguayan national men’s rugby team completed a 30-26 win over neighbors Argentina in what was the final home fixture before departing for the Rugby World Cup.

Uruguayan Head Coach Pablo Lemoine can now name his squad for the Rugby World Cup with a smile. The former international prop is set to unveil his squad which is expected to feature all players involved in today’s win.

The fixture was non-capped and as such the visitors officially played as the Argentina XV rather than Los Pumas. The team was comparable to the side which was involved in the World Rugby Nations Cup in June in Romania. Missing were all players who will face South Africa next weekend in Durban in addition to virtually all Rugby Championship squad members.

Of those involved against Los Teros Santiago Iglesias Valdez was alone in having received game time in the Rugby Championship. Regardless, Uruguay’s accomplishment was an upset result. Similar matches in years gone by have seen Argentina winning cleanly. Today, though, the smaller, lower ranked South American country led for the majority of the match and did so to the delight of the home supporters.

Lemoine’s side started strongly with the France based Agustín Ormaechea opening the scoring with an 8th minute penalty. The Mont de Marsan scrumhalf was then joined by Carcassonne fly half Felipe Berchesi on the scoreboard in the 11th minute when he kicked his first of five penalties.

Uruguay’s strong 6-0 lead was cut to one wuth the returning Argentine back-rower Rodrigo Báez scoring the first try of the match. A missed Juan León Novillo conversion meant the home side held on. Four minutes later Uruguay cancelled out by Uruguayan right winger Francisco Bulanti who went over for an unconverted try in the 14th minute.

The conversion was off target but Berchesi’s two successful penalties in the 28th and 34th minutes put the home side twelve points clear. Argentine captain for the day, Matías Orlando gathered his players and led by example in scoring in the 37th minute. Novillo’s conversion made it 17-12 at half time.

The five minutes either side of half time have long been considered the danger zone by a number of commentators and so it proved to be for Uruguay as Argentina XV second-rower Aníbal Panceyra Garrido crossed in the 42nd minute to see Uruguay’s lead disappear. Novillo’s conversion put Argentina in dfront for the first time.

Los Teros, though, were eager to leave Uruguay with a win and fullback Jerónimo Etcheverry hit back straight away to see his side reclaiming the lead. Ormaechea landed the conversion before the Argentina XV enjoyed an extended period of possession resulting in a 57th minute try scored from a rolling maul with back-rower Gonzalo Paulín touching down.

Replacement fly half Domingo Miotti added the extras to see the Argentina XV leading 26-24 and on track for a win. Certainly, in previous outings Uruguay would have been expected to fall short but heavy investment in the players and dramatically improved facilities at the Estadio Charrúa has seen the fitness and skill levels reach unprecedented levels.

The Argentina XV had further scoring opportunities but Uruguay was able to see them off and strike back through the boot of Berchesi who landed 64th and 75th minute penalties to complete a famous home victory to lift the players. The daunting prospect of facing Australia, England, Fiji and Wales in Pool A awaits Los Teros but, for now, the players have earned the right to celebrate and give others in the Americas plenty to think about ahead of the proposed Americas Six Nations.

 

SCORING

URUGUAY 30
Tries – F. Bulanti, J. Etcheverry
Cons – A. Ormaechea
Pens – F. Berchesi 5, A. Ormaechea

ARGENTINA XV 26
Tries – R. Báez, M. Orlando, A. Panceyra Garrido, G. Paulín
Cons – J. Novillo 2, D. Miotti

 

TEAMS

URUGUAY
1 Juan Echeverría, 2 Germán Kessler, 3 Mario Sagario, 4 Franco Lamanna, 5 Mathias Palomeque, 6 Juan de Freitas, 7 Fernando Bascou, 8 Alejandro Nieto (capt.), 9 Agustín Ormaechea, 10 Felipe Berchesi, 11 Rodrigo Silva, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Pedro Deal, 14 Francisco Bulanti, 15 Jerónimo Etcheverry

Replacements used: 16 Oscar Duran, 17 Arturo Avalo, 18 Alejo Corral, 19 Ignacio Dotti, 20 Gabriel Puig, 21 Agustín Alonso, 23 Joaquín Prada
Not used: 22 Guillermo Lijtenstein

ARGENTINA XV
1 Roberto Tejerizo, 2 Santiago Iglesias Valdez, 3 Guido Randisi, 4 Ignacio Larrague, 5 Aníbal Panceyra Garrido, 6 Rodrigo Báez, 7 Gonzalo Paulín, 8 Lisandro Ahualli, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Juan León Novillo, 11 Axel Müller, 12 Joaquín Paz, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 15 Román Miralles

Replacements (all used): 16 Tomás Baravalle, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Cristian Bartoloni, 19 Ignacio Calas, 20 Vito Scaglione, 21 Patricio Baronio, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Tomás Granella