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Pool D for Rugby World Cup 2019 has now been finalized. Uruguay’s successful qualification for RWC 2019 ahead of Canada confirms the final participant in the group. Los Teros will face Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Wales in Japan in next year’s World Cup.
Uruguay qualified for RWC 2019 as Americas 2. It is the second time in history that Uruguay has achieved this feat. The prior occasion was in the qualifying series for RWC 2003. The format used for that World Cup saw Uruguay finished second to Canada and ahead of the USA who entered repechage.
RWC 2019 marks Uruguay’s fourth appearance at a Rugby World Cup. The South Americans first qualified for Rugby World Cup 1999. They did so after overcoming Portugal and Morocco in repechage. In the tournament itself Uruguay played exclusively in Scotland and faced the host in addition to South Africa and Spain. Los Teros would record a win over the Spanish.
In RWC 2003 Uruguay faced England, Georgia, Samoa, and South Africa. They came away with a win over Georgia, in what was a demanding match schedule.
Having missed on on qualifying for Rugby World Cups 2007 and 2011 Uruguay saw off Russia in the Final Place Play-Off to qualify. Los Teros were pooled with Australia, England, Fiji and Wales. It was the Pool of Death and Uruguay was widely expected to be thrashed by all opponents. Instead what transpired were four dedicated performances and losses by notably lower margins than at RWC 2003.
In RWC 2019 Uruguay are to open against Fiji. The match will be played on Wednesday September 25 at the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Kamaishi City. Four days later they will play again, this time against Georgia at Kumagaya Rugby Grounds in Kumagaya City. Player management for these fixtures is certain.
Game three will be on Saturday October 05 against Australia. That match will be in southern Japan Oita Stadium, at Oita Stadium in Oita Prefecture. Their fourth and final pool match will be against Wales at the Kumamoto Prefectural Athletic Stadium in Kumamoto City, also located on the island of Kyushu.
