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

Argentina
Los Pumas have done it again. Following on from their inaugural Rugby Championship win over South Africa a year ago they have achieved a second. Saturday’s triumph in Salta was Argentina’s first home victory against the Springboks. It showed true character as the players gave it their all to overcome a staggering injury count and some questionable officiating. With the win, the team’s goal of two wins in the 2016 Rugby Championship is entirely plausible.

Ecuador
Ecuador have booked their place in the South American B Championship. Los Piqueros’ 26-25 win over Guatemala on Saturday sees them confirmed as the fourth participant in the 2016 edition of the competition. Ecuador will travel south to neighboring Peru to face Colombia, Peru and Venezuela in what brings together South America’s second category of teams. Above the four are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Colombia u18s
Colombia’s rise in South American circles continued this past week. The country’s under 18 team completed three wins to come out on top in the South American B Junior Championship in Peru. Colombia completed big wins over both Peru and Venezuela and overcame Mexico in the final. The title is Colombia’s third straight win.

Conor Trainor
On his debut for Vannes the Canadian star had two reasons for celebrations. His new club won their opening fixture and he crossed for a try in the win. It’s a dream start for Trainor who now turns his focus to XVs after years on the HSBC Sevens Series. Canadian fans will be casting an keen eye the coast of Brittany this season.

Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Tomás Cubelli
Both Leguizamón and Cubelli have now defeated South Africa twice. If that is not enough of a story to tell their future grandchildren then they will have numbers. On Saturday Leguizamón earned his 70th cap and Cubelli his 50th. The milestone marks mean Leguizamón is the 9th Puma to reach 70 caps. For Cubelli he is the 27th to reach 50. Both have plenty left in the tank and can only finish higher.

Spike Davis
The profile of the Texas native continues to rise. Fresh off a ground-breaking season of PRO Rugby for the Ohio Aviators the imposing winger is now in New Zealand. Davis played his first match in the country for the Tasman Griffins on Saturday. The fixture was developmental with the team facing Otago ‘B’ in what was a reserve-grade match. Based on his form in PRO Rugby he should be able to make the jump to the Tasman Makos to play in New Zealand’s domestic league, the Mitre 10 Cup.

Juan Imhoff, Benjamín Urdapilleta, Horacio Agulla
Back to Racing 92 following the Olympic Games, Imhoff started his new season strongly. The Rosario winger scored his team’s opening try as Racing 92 downed Lyon 29-16. His teammate, Manuel Carizza was named by Midi Olympique in the Team of the Week. Also scoring points in the Top 14 on Saturday was Urdapilleta. The former Puma kicked all 12 of Castres’ points as they completed a 12-12 draw away to Bayonne. Agulla made his debut on the wing for the Tarn club.

UNDER

Guatemala
Every point matters. This very line is used repeatedly by coaches to players of all ages. Another is to give it your all for the full 80 minutes. So unlucky were Guatemala that they missed out on their dream of playing in the South American B Championship by a single point. They fell 26-25 to Guatemala to be confirmed in this year’s South American C Championship.

Canada ‘A’
Despite a strong second half Canada ‘A’ were unable to get the job done against the Ulster Ravens. The North Americans fell short, losing 48-38 on Friday. The Canadians started slowly as the hosts held a 29-5 lead at the break. Somehow the Canadians hit back to hold a 38-36 lead late in the game, though ultimately running out of steam in the final minutes.

Venezuela u18s
In quick time Venezuela has gone from receiving test matches against Argentina to slipping down at all levels. At this past week’s South American Junior B competition in Peru the Venezuelans were hammered by Colombia and Mexico and also lost against the home side. The winless Venezuelans finished bottom.

Pumas Injury Concerns
Argentina suffered many casualties against South Africa in Salta. So much so that the entire bench was emptied with four players forced to play out of position. Post-match it was revealed that Manuel Montero, Nicolás Sánchez, Juan Martín Hernández and Tomás Lavanini are all in doubt for the away matches against Australia and New Zealand. All will be monitored over the coming days and a decision on all of them will be made later in the week.

Jérôme Garcès
The leading French referee was slammed on social media for the officiating of the Pumas win over the Springboks. In an uproar fans and former players alike were vocal in their displeasure with Garcès, with some accusing him of being South Africa’s 16th player after several missed calls, particularly some dangerous tackles from South Africa. While Garcès must take some responsibility for a below-par performance, his two sideline assistants and the TMO must also shoulder some of the blame for failing to aid the referee when help was clearly needed.

Tebojo ‘Oupa’ Mohoje
South African flanker Mohoje was in the thick of the action in Salta, albeit not entirely legally. On five occasions his tackling was high enough to be considered dangerous, and yet only once was he penalised. The headlock on Juan Martín Hernández in the 50th minute was somehow missed by all four officials, and his reckless challenge knocked Hernández completely out later in the game, again without sanction. Mohoje will now face the music as he has been cited for one of his numerous indiscretions.

[EDIT: Mohoje has in fact received a ‘citing commission warning’ – in effect an off-field yellow card – and will not have to attend a formal hearing.]

Owen Franks, New Zealand
At the World Cup in September the Pumas lost Mariano Galarza to suspension for apparent ‘eye-gouging’ against Brodie Retallick of New Zealand. Video footage suggested that any contact with the eye area was purely accidental, and yet the offense was deemed severe enough to warrant a nine-week sentence. Fast-forward to August 2016 and All Black prop Owen Franks committed an act that was surely worse, caught clearly on camera deliberately putting his hands on the eyes of Australian lock Kane Douglas. Miraculously Franks appears to have escaped without any punishment whatsoever and New Zealand’s coach has defended his player saying there was nothing in it. Surely World Rugby must intervene against the embarrassing indecision of the SANZAAR citing commission.