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Uruguay demonstrated significant progress with a comfortable 36-14 victory over Brazil at Allianz Parque in São Paulo this afternoon. Close to 9,000 paying supporters attended the match.
Los Teros won largely with an experimental side which called upon a number of players missing from recent international activity. They were led by five World Cup forwards who set the tone for what was a strong showing by the visitors.
Strong early possession from Brazil resulted in the home side being awarded an attacking penalty just outside of the 22. The hero from the win over the USA, Moisés Duque lined up a shot at goal which sailed wide.
Los Teros responded by marching down into Brazil’s half. It was turned into points with Los Cuervos flyhalf Martín Secco kicking a penalty from 35 meters out.
Enterprising play followed with Uruguay running the ball out from their own goal and threatening to go all the way. A wayward pass, though, saw Brazil having a defensive lineout on their 22.
The visitors continued pilling on pressure and in turning down a shot at goal Los Teros demonstrated their progress. A set move from a lineout saw Uruguay scoring from a dominant rolling-maul. Flanker Gonzalo Campomar was credited with the try which Secco converted to make it 10-0.
The team’s sized each other up for the following twenty minutes before Uruguay found itself deep in Brazilian territory. Strong carrying from Alejandro Nieto and Diego Magno brought Los Teros close before an error gave Brazil a scrum.
Uruguay, though, were eventually awarded with outside center Joaquín Prada showing his class to touch down near the posts. The 35th minute try was converted by Secco who gave Uruguay a 17-0 advantage but was off-target two minutes later with another conversion attempt.
The 37th minute score by Magno was the best score of the opening half. It came from a winger-like run from captain Nieto. The Teros no8 ran to within 10 meters before being tackled. Quick recycling saw an unmarked Magno diving over. It would be the final scoring of the first half which made the visitors some 22 points ahead.
At 12 minutes into the second half Uruguay scored for the fourth time with Campomar grabbing his second. Secco landed the conversion to make it a 29-0 game.
Brazil got into the game at the completion of the third quarter with replacement forward Mark Jackson scoring down the left flank. His try came following a scuffle involving the forwards of both teams which offered room.
The score saw Os Tupis and the supporters alike break into voice. Their sustained pressure in the host early evening heat would be awarded. A stunning break resulted in Felipe Sancery crossing for the second Brazilian try. Before the Franco-Brazilian touched down the home side had come close to running in a great test try only for Uruguay to hold them off.
It was the visitors who ended the scoring, however with back-rower Juan Diego Ormaechea going over from close range. Replacement Santiago Martínez kicked the goal to bring the game to a close.
The win sees Uruguay returning home with three competition points. With no bonus points on offer and no points awarded for a loss Brazil will need points against Chile and Paraguay if they are to challenge for a place in the 2017 Sudamérica Cup.
BRAZIL 14
Tries – M. Jackson, F. Sancery
Cons – M. Duque 2
URUGUAY 36
Tries – G. Campomar 2, J. Prada, D. Magno, J. Ormaechea
Cons – M. Secco 3, S. Martínez
Pens – M. Secco
BRAZIL
1 Jonatas Paulo 2 Yan Rosetti 3 Caique Silva 4 Lucas Piero 5 Diego López 6 João Luiz da Ros (capt.) 7 Cléber Dias 8 Nick Smith 9 Lucas Duque 10 Moisés Duque 11 Stefano Giantorno 12 Philip Ramos 13 Felipe Sancery 14 Laurent Bourda-Couhet 15 Daniel Sancery
16 Rafael Carnivalle 17 Lucas Abud 18 Luan Almeida 19 André Arruda 20 Mark Jackson 21 Beukes Cremer 22 Robert Tenório 23 Guilherme Coghetto
URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti 2 German Kessler 3 Carlos Arboleya 4 Diego Ayala 5 Diego Magno 6 Gonzalo Campomar 7 Juan Diego Ormaechea 8 Alejandro Nieto (capt.) 9 Guillermo Lijtenstein 10 Martín Secco 11 Nicolás Freitas 12 Facundo Klappenbach 13 Joaquín Prada 14 Mauro Daverio 15 Federico Favaro
16 Facundo Gattas 17 Rafael Mones 18 Ignacio Secco 19 Ignacio Dotti 20 Gonzalo Soto 21 Gastón Nicolás 22 Mateo Tortorella 23 Santiago Martínez
