Up and Under

Up and Under is a weekly feature on Americas Rugby News which reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week.

UP

Canada XVs
Having come unstuck against Japan one week earlier Canada turned things around in style to annihilate Russia in Calgary on Saturday. Canada’s six tries to three triumph over Russia saw the North Americans storming home to a 46-21 victory. The win combined with Italy’s lackluster performance in Northern California gives the Maple Leafs realistic hope of a victory this coming Saturday in Toronto.

Argentina
In Tucumán on Sunday Los Pumas made it two wins from two matches in the June Internationals. The 30-19 win over France ensures the South Americans will remain safely ranked higher than 9th in the world. With an eye to the draw for Rugby World Cup 2019 this is Argentina’s priority. The three tries to one home victory included a sensational second half try from second-rower Guido Petti.

Uruguay
Los Teros were destined to be on the Under list but the team’s second half showing against Spain in the Nations Cup sees Uruguay deservedly listed in Up. The South Americans responded to a 40-0 hammering by Romania to defeat Spain 16-0 in Bucharest on Saturday. With it Uruguay return home with one win and one loss from the two capped matches in the Nations Cup. A satisfactory outcome.

Cayman Islands
A magnificent home performance on Saturday evening saw the Cayman Islands run out convincing winners over Bermuda. For the Cayman Islands the fixture was the second of two Rugby World Cup 2019 qualifiers and the win has set up a winner-takes-all qualifier against Mexico next month. It keeps the western Caribbean Island nation’s dreams alive of appearing in a first ever Rugby World Cup.

Guyana
Also winning this weekend in the Caribbean was Guyana. The continental South American country’s 23-18 victory over Trinidad & Tobago confirmed Guyana as the South Zone winners of the Caribbean section of Rugby World Cup 2019 qualification. Guyana will face the winner of the North Zone which is to be either the Cayman Islands or Mexico. In losing Trinidad & Tobago join Barbados, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in being eliminated from the Rugby World Cup 2019 qualifiers.

Imhoff, Carizza, Fernández Lobbe, Manoa
Take a note of these four names: Juan Imhoff, Manuel Carizza, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe and Samu Manoa. This time next week two of them will all but certainly be here again on the Up list. The four players all won their way into the Top 14 Final. The 2016 edition of the French Premiership will have the final played in the largest stadium in Europe, Barcelona’s Camp Nou. 98,000 are expected to be in attendance with either Juan Imhoff and Manuel Carizza winning their first French titles or Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe winning for the second time and Samu Manoa making history by becoming the first USA captain to win both the Aviva Premiership and Top 14.

UNDER

Jamaica
Wow, just wow. What exactly can be made of Jamaica forfeiting a Rugby World Cup qualification match to hand Barbados a victory without entering onto the field? Thankfully both Jamaica and Barbados had already been eliminated prior to the walk-over, meaning that it had no baring whatsoever on who advances in the South Zone of Caribbean Rugby World Cup qualification.

USA
In the not to distant future the USA will be winning test matches against comparable or equal opposition to that of which the Eagles faced on Saturday evening. Make no mistake about it the USA Eagles team today is vastly different to those which have previously taken on Italy. Saturday’s lineup had 13 professionals starting. The match was there for the taking but the USA fell short.

Brazil
The largest and most populated South American country, Brazil was on the losing side this weekend against Kenya. Played in Amapá the Hemisphere’s Cup fixture was the Simbas completing a narrow and late 18-17 victory over os Tupis. Kenyan flier Darwin Mukidza was the difference maker as he landed the match winning kick at goal as the game neared its conclusion. Good news, nonetheless, came through this week for Brazil with confirmation of a two match tour of Germany in November.

Canada, Chile 7s
Samoa was the overwhelming favorite to win the Olympic Games repechage qualifying tournament this weekend in Monaco. The Pacific Islands, though missed out on qualifying for Rio 2016. Also missing out were both Canada and Chile with Spain, instead, being the country to secure the last remaining spot at the first ever Olympic Games featuring a Rugby Sevens tournament.

San Diego Breakers, Denver Stampede
A prime opportunity went begging for the San Diego Breakers this weekend as the home clash against state rivals, the San Francisco Rush saw the visitors completing a victory. The 24-19 away victory sees the Rush now have a clear seven point buffer between itself and the bottom places Sacramento. Most importantly the result has played into the hands of the Ohio Aviators who now lead PRO Rugby after having defeated the Denver Stampede on Sunday.