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Uruguay is going to RWC 2019. This headline made serious noise as it was reflected upon by rugby followers the world over. As impressive as it was it must not be viewed as the end point in the qualification process for Uruguay. Instead what Uruguay and the RWC need from this is a plan of how to get Los Teros ready for the tournament.
Looming Problem
What does Uruguay need? Simple – a series of matches comparable to those that the team will endure in Japan. With the opposition teams in RWC 2019 set to be Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Wales this means Uruguay require matches against Tier 1 and Tier 2 opposition.
Full Calendars
Unfortunately making this a reality is no easy task. Tier 2 opposition is achievable. Uruguay, by right, out to step into replace Canada in the November Internationals. Tier 1 opposition in Europe, though, is all but impossible.
Scotland and Wales are touring Argentina in June yet both have full schedules for the year. Adding on a match in Montevideo sounds ideal but neither is possible. Indeed before arriving in Argentina Wales face South Africa in Washington DC. In addition both Wales and Scotland have their November Internationals full.
Wales is to host a Tier 2 opponent on November 17. It remains unconfirmed as to who this will be. All that can be confirmed at this stage is that it will not be Japan as they face England on the same day.
England has a three-match tour of South Africa in June. It then has a busy November home series. One of their opponents is to be Japan.
Italy tour Japan in June and host three tests in November. The Italians, unlike England and Wales, strictly stick to three matches in November. Italy is confirmed as hosting Australia, Georgia, and New Zealand.
Ireland tour Australia in June and have home matches confirmed for November against Argentina and New Zealand. A third will be on November 24 against a Tier 2 country. The identity of this country is unknown. No Tier 2 country has a match confirmed on that date at present.
France are to tour New Zealand in June and host host three matches in November. Confirmed are visits by Argentina and South Africa. The third will be against a Tier 2 country on November 24. Could it be Uruguay? Potentially though in all likelihood Fiji, Samoa or Tonga will be France’s opponent.
This leaves Georgia and Romania. One has qualified for Japan 2019. The other is weeks away from doing so. Both are Tier 2 and both are great teams for Uruguay to face. Neither, though, is the level of opponent which Australia and Wales will be at the World Cup.
Solution
There is a Rio Platanese solution. Uruguay and Argentina should play a test match this year. This is not in the form of the Americas Rugby Championship, Sudamérica Rugby Cup, World Rugby Nations Cup or Americas Pacific Challenge. They have the Argentina XV.
Uruguay needs to play against Los Pumas. They need this in the form of capped internationals between now and RWC 2019. This means getting Argentina to field their top players so as to have a side at least equal to that which faced Georgia in June 2017 in Jujuy.
With Los Jaguares being home-based Argentina face no player restrictions. Uruguay’s foreign-based players that took on Canada in the qualifiers were Felipe Berchesi, Rodrigo Capó Ortega, Franco Lamanna, Manuel Leindekar and Agustín Ormaechea. An overall small quantity, and more than manageable for the URU to obtain release.
When can the match be played?
There are two possibilities – (a) add a match on to the June Internationals or (b) have the match be a warm-up fixture for Los Pumas ahead of the Rugby Championship. Either are feasible possibilities for 2018 with (b) being the option for 2019.
Where there is a will there is a way. The URU and UAR can make something out of this. The marketability is stronger than ever before.
