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A six-try second half propelled the US Eagles to a 57-9 win over Chile in Americas Rugby Championship action on Saturday afternoon. A scrappy beginning saw the hosts frustrate their guests leaving the halftime score a reasonably close 17-6, but the final half hour of the match was thoroughly dominated by the visitors to seal another blowout victory.
Ben Cima put his side in the lead after five minutes with a penalty goal, but it would be a dozen minutes before further points from either side would be conceded. Francisco González Moller evened it up at 3-all with his first attempt. The bounce of the ball would favor the Eagles soon after.
Collecting the ball deep in his own end, Shaun Davies chipped ahead and the rebound off the turf went straight to Bryce Campbell. Quick hands wide left put the ball in Cam Dolan’s hands and the long-striding no8 galloped over the line untouched from 40 meters out.
González Moller landed a second penalty but the Eagles started to hit their stride and after sustained pressure Tony Lamborn crossed from close range. Cima’s second conversion was the last points of the half with the USA looking slightly frustrated by the Chilean defense.
The second half started badly for the USA, with Chile nearly scoring and Campbell sent to the bin after playing the ball in an offside position on his own doorstep. Los Cóndores couldn’t get the try but a third penalty goal reduced the gap to just eight points.
That would be all she wrote for Chile, however, as replacement David Tameilau rumbled over just two minutes later to spark a rampant run-in to the finish line. It was Tameilau again in the act next, charging down a drop goal attempt from González Moller and showing brilliant hands to regather and pop the ball to a charging Matt Jensen. The giant lock made it the rest of the way and Chile was done and dusted.
Todd Clever raced in before limping off with a hamstring problem and then the wheels fell off the Condores wagon completely in the final five minutes. A second try for Lamborn was followed by two tries in the space of two minutes for Peter Malcom, all converted, and for the third successive match the Eagles topped the 50-point scoring mark.
Los Cóndores close their 2017 ARC campaign against Uruguay in Montevideo next weekend, playing for pride and praying for a miracle win. The Eagles head further south to Comodoro Rivadavia where the Argentina XV and a shot at glory awaits.
SCORING
CHILE 9
Pens – F. González Moller 3 (17’, 34’, 48’)
Yellow cards – S. Bascuñan (22’), S. Pardakhty (59’)
USA 57
Tries – C. Dolan (24’), T. Lamborn 2 (36’, 76’), D. Tameilau (50’), M. Jensen (52’), Clever (66’), P. Malcolm 2 (78’, 80’)
Cons – B. Cima 7 (25’, 37’, 51’, 67’, 77’, 78’, 80’)
Pens – B. Cima (5’)
Yellow cards – B. Campbell (43’)
TEAMS
CHILE
1 Vittorio Lastra (17 Sebastián Valech 54’), 2 Manuel Gurruchaga (capt.) (16 Rodrigo Moya 67’), 3 José Tomás Munita (18 Ernesto Ugarte 54’), 4 Mario Mayol (20 Eduardo Orpis 66′), 5 Nikola Bursic, 6 Arturo Seeman (20 Eduardo Orpis 26’-35’) (19 Nelson Calderón 62’), 7 Anton Petrowitsch, 8 Manuel Dagnino, 9 Sergio Bascuñan (21 Beltrán Vergara 58’), 10 Francisco González Moller (22 Jorge Castillo 67’), 11 Tomás Ianiszewski (23 Mauricio Urrutia HT), 12 Simón Pardakhty, 13 Franco Velarde, 14 Matías Contreras (10 Francisco González Moller 73′), 15 Pablo Verschae
USA
1 Ben Tarr (17 Anthony Purpura 49’), 2 James Hilterbrand (16 Peter Malcolm 51’), 3 Chris Baumann (18 Olive Kilifi 58’), 4 Matt Jensen, 5 Siaosi Mahoni (20 David Tameilau 49’), 6 Todd Clever (19 Hanco Germishuys 67’), 7 Tony Lamborn, 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Shaun Davies (23 Andrew Turner 67’), 10 Ben Cima, 11 Nate Augspurger (capt.), 12 JP Eloff (22 Calvin Whiting 62’), 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Spike Davis (21 Will Magie 65’), 15 Mike Te’o
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Ricardo Sant’Anna (CBRu)
Assistants: Frank Méndez (FERUCHI) & Tomás Fernández (FERUCHI)
