Samoa edges Uruguay in Pacific Challenge

Samoa ‘A’ got through the challenge of their Uruguayan counterparts by the skin of their teeth as they came away 44-42 victors over their hosts in the opening round of the Americas Pacific Challenge on Saturday. The back-and-forth battle saw the two sides trade blows at an almost identical rate, with Jerónimo Etcheverry nudging Uruguay ahead by a single point in the 78th minute only to watch Patrick Fa’apale kick the game-winning penalty on full-time and save the win for Samoa.

The two goal-kickers broke the opening deadlock as they exchanged penalty goals within a minute of each other at the end of the first quarter. Etcheverry gave Uruguay a brief lead with his second but it would be relinquished immediately by a try for Oneone Fa’afou. Another score soon after from Meki Magele threatened to damage Uruguayan confidence. It was the dominance of the South American scrum that brought them back, with the first of two penalty tries coming on the stroke of halftime and sending Samoan tighthead Nephi Leatigaga to the bin for collapsing.

Ope Peleseuma grabbed one back for Samoa almost straight from the kickoff. The scrum again replied for Uruguay, with another collapse leading the referee under the sticks. Powerhouse loose forward Suamalie Tuiletufuga crossed next, and again Uruguay were right behind through Nicolas Freitas. The two young wing opposites La’aloi Leilua and Santiago Arata each went over before the midfielders returned to the score sheet a second time. First Peleseuma, then Freitas again.

Uruguay thought they had won the match when Etcheverry’s late goal raised the flags. It was not to be, however, as Samoa moved into position from the kickoff and won the opportunity for Fa’apale to break the hearts of the 1200 fans in attendance. Uruguay now face an even tougher task against neighbors Argentina on Wednesday. Samoa will look to upset their Pacific Island friends Fiji.

 

SCORING

SAMOA ‘A’ 44
Tries – O. Fa’afou (31), M. Magele (34), O. Peleseuma 2 (42, 65), S. Tuiletufuga (47), L. Leilua (58)
Cons – P. Fa’apale 4 (35, 48, 59, 66)
Pens – P. Fa’apale 2 (21, 80)
Yellow cards – N. Leatigaga (40)

URUGUAY ‘A’ 42
Tries – Penalty try 2 (40, 45), N. Freitas 2 (53, 68), S. Arata (61)
Cons – J. Etcheverry 4 (40, 46, 62, 69)
Pens – J. Etcheverry 3 (20, 30, 78)
Yellow cards – M. Sanguinetti (57)

 

TEAMS

SAMOA ‘A’
1 Michael Tuiloma 2 Ropeti Lafo 3 Nephi Leatigaga 4 Talaga Alofipo 5 Mikaele Tapili 6 Joshua Fuimaono 7 Oneone Fa’afou 8 Afa Aiono (capt.) 9 Danny Tusitala 10 Patrick Fa’apale 11 La’aloi Leilua 12 Meki Magele 13 Ope Peleseuma 14 Jeff Makapelu 15 Malu Falaniko

16 Malcolm Tanielu 17 Sylvester Taupau 18 Lene Nu’uli 19 Callum Adams 20 Suamalie Tuiletufuta 21 Melani Matavao 22 Jack Saena 23 Johnny Va’ili

URUGUAY ‘A’
1 Mateo Sanguinetti 2 Juan Echeverría 3 Mario Sagario (capt.) 4 Diego Magno 5 Diego Ayala 6 Joaquín Dell’Acqua 7 Santiago Hernández 8 Gonzalo Soto 9 Guillermo Lijtenstein 10 Jerónimo Etcheverry 11 Santiago Gibernau 12 Nicolás Freitas 13 Joaquín Prada 14 Santiago Arata 15 Rodrigo Silva

16 Marcos Chamyán 17 Ignacio Secco 18 Diego Arbelo 19 Manuel Leindekar 20 Fernando Bascou 21 Facundo Klappenbach 22 Manuel Blengio 23 Juan Manuel Cat

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Tim Baker (HKRFU)
Assistants: Ricardo Sant’Anna (CBRu) & Claudio Cattivelli (URU)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (URU)