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Game two of the 2018 Nations Cup sees the home side, Uruguay facing the Fiji Warriors. The match is as close to a preview as possible of the Uruguay vs Fiji pool match in Kamaishi, Japan. While Fiji is playing with the national ‘A’ side this is the final opportunity to see the teams square-off ahead of the eager awaited RWC 2019 match.
Uruguay is captained by Juan Manuel Gaminara. He is joined by a powerful line-up, one featuring many names who saw their country qualifying for RWC 2019 earlier this year. The exception is uncapped flanker Leandro Segredo who joins Gaminara and Alejandro Nieto in the back-row.
Manuel Leindekar, and Ignacio Dotti start in the engine room, giving Uruguay a combative second-row combination to test the Fijians.
Santiago Arata is again preferred over the French-based Agustín Ormaechea at scrum-half. He reunites with Felipe Berchesi in the halves. They will look to counter the masters of spontaneity and make opportunities for their attacking backs, notably Andrés Vilaseca, Nicolás Freitas, and Leandro Leivas.
The Fiji Warriors line-up for Uruguay is bold. It features players who can do it all, indicating their intention of scoring tries at will in Montevideo. The wet weather that has plagued the build up to the match may see this restricted.
Fullback Aporosa Tabulawaki and wingers Apete Daveta and Asaeli Atunaisa are all highly dangerous runners. Containing them will be a complicated task for the South Americans.
In the pack Samu Saqiwa and Filimoni Seru continue with the long Fijian tradition of having speedy, ball-carrying giants in the second-row.
Despite the Fiji Warriors having played in Uruguay during the 2016 Americas Pacific Challenge they did not face Uruguay. The teams did, however, play a two-match seres in Uruguay that year. Fiji won the first match 42-28 and made it a series win following their 44-22 victory in game two.
At junior level Uruguay and Fiji have traded wins since RWC 2015. At the RWC 2015 tournament itself Uruguay and Fiji faced-off in Milton Keynes. Fiji were too strong, winning 47-15 though Uruguay put in a valiant performance, scoring two excellent tries.
The only other prior test match between the countries took place back in 1999. In L’Aquila, Italy Fiji won 39-24 in a warm-up match ahead of that year’s RWC in the UK, Ireland and France.
The Fiji Warriors continue to be regarded as a superior team to that of Uruguay. Yet today’s match looms as being a tougher prediction to make than from prior years. Uruguay’s professional program combined with players based in France make Los Teros a reputable outfit. A similar side downed Canada home-and-away earlier this year.
URUGUAY
15 Rodrigo Silva, 14 Leandro Leivas, 13 Joaquín Prada, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 11 Nicolás Freitas, 10 Felipe Berchesi, 9 Santiago Arata, 8 Alejandro Nieto, 7 Leandro Segredo, 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt.), 5 Manuel Leindekar, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 3 Juan Echeverría, 2 Germán Kessler, 1 Mateo Sanguinetti
Replacements: 16 Carlos Pombo, 17 Matías Benítez, 18 Felipe Iniciarte, 19 Diego Magno, 20 Manuel Diana, 21 Agustín Ormaechea, 22 Gastón Mieres, 23 Manuel Blengio
Fiji Warriors
15 Aporosa Tabulawaki, 14 Apete Daveta, 13 Ifereimi Tovilevu, 12 Eroni Vasiteri, 11 Asaeli Atunaisa, 10 Enele Malele, 9 Sakiusa Gavidi, 8 Peni Raidre, 7 Jiuta Takubu, 6 Temo Mayanavanua, 5 Samu Saqiwa, 4 Filimoni Seru, 3 Mosese Ducivaki, 2 Mesulame Dolokoto (capt.), 1 Joeli Veitayaki
Replacements: 16 Seremaia Naureure, 17 Seru Cakobau, 18 Luke Tagi, 19 Sailosi Dawai, 20 Vasikali Mudu, 21 Peniasi Ratu, 22 Jone Manu, 23 Orisi Erenavula
Date: Saturday June 02
Kick-off: 3pm (Uruguay)
Venue: Carrasco Polo, Montevideo
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Broadcast: World Rugby Livestream
