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Uruguay is targeting a World Cup pool match victory. This is the target for Los Teros as stated by second-rower Manuel Leindekar.
In a radio interview with Espectador 810 Leindekar noted that the team has the goal of returning to winning a match at a RWC. Uruguay will play in their fourth RWC in 2019. Prior appearances came in RWCs 1999, 2003 and 2015.
In RWC 1999 Uruguay claimed a 27-15 win over Spain in the Scottish borders while falling to Scotland and South Africa. Four years later Los Teros defeated Georgia 24-12 in Sydney but lost against England, Samoa and South Africa. Then in 2015 Uruguay was winless against Australia, England, Fiji and Wales.
For RWC 2019 Uruguay has a comparable pool to that of 2015. Los Teros will face Australia, Fiji, Georgia, and Wales – all prior RWC opponents of Uruguay.
Leindekar notes that he hopes Uruguay can play as equals against both Fiji and Georgia. He regards Australia and Wales as being superior opposition but points out that the team are setting the bar at Fiji and Georgia.
In Japan 2019 Uruguay open their campaign against Fiji in Kamaishi. The match will be on September 25 and for Fiji it will be their second game. Fiji open against Australia in Sapporo on September 21. This provides Uruguay with two potential advantages – (a) playing first while Fiji is playing for the second time and (b) playing against a Fijian side coming off a short turn-around.
Uruguay’s match against Georgia will be Los Teros’ second of four pool matches. It falls on September 29, giving Uruguay just three rest days between facing Fiji and Georgia. The match will also require travel to Hanazono.
Games three and four are to be against Australia in Oita on October 05 and against Wales in Kumamoto on October 13. Based on Leindekar’s comments Los Teros are going to put everything into their opening two matches and not rest key players ahead of facing the Wallabies in their third match.
