Argentina finish 6th in u20 Championship

Argentina finished 6th in the 2018 World Rugby u20 Championship. The final position was confirmed following today’s 41-15 defeat to Australia at the Stade de la Mediterranee in Béziers, France.

The result also means that Australia finish 5th. In other results today Georgia defeated Scotland 39-31 to finish 19 and Ireland defeated Japan 39-33 to relegated the Asians to the 2019 Junior World Trophy.

The morning after Los Pumas fell to a heavy defeat and Daniel Hourcade stood-down as Head Coach, Los Pumitas completed their campaign at the World Rugby U20’s Championship.

In these troubling times for Argentina the U20’s have gone about their business, winning well against Scotland and Wales though falling against England, Italy, and now Australia. The loss this morning against the Junior Wallabies was not a surprise, the team from Oceania were heavy favorites to win and performed well.

Australia opened the scoring with an early try. Touching down in the 8th minute was second-rower Harry Hockings with captain and scrum-half Ryan Lonergan adding the conversion.

Australia’s 7-0 lead would be cancelled out in the 15th minute. A perfectly executed cross-kick found its way from Joaquín de la Vega Mendia to Mateo Carreras. The impressive left winger gathered the kick and stepped off his left to get around Isiah Latu and Lawson Creighton to score.

The Australians rebounded to score there second try six minutes later. Doing so was hooker Efi Ma’afu. Lonergan added the conversion and with a penalty four minutes later the Junior Wallabies were 10 points ahead.

In the second half Joaquín de La Vega Mendía struck an early penalty to narrow the deficit. Australia, though, hit back in style. With scrum-half Manuel Nogues yellow carded Tom Ross would go over.

Los Pumitas would score through Santiago Grondona but with Mack Hansen and Issac Lucas scoring impressive tries the team from Oceania would win the match by a healthy margin.

The 2019 Junior World Championship will be played in Argentina. It is to be the second time the South American country has staged the event. The cities of Santa Fé and Rosario will host the tournament.

 

SCORING

ARGENTINA 15
Try: M Carreras, Grondona
Conversion: De la Vega Mendía
Penalty: De la Vega Mendía
Yellow Card: Nogues

AUSTRALIA 41
Try: Hockings, Ma’afu, Ross, Hansen, Lucas
Conversion: Lonergan (3), Harrison (2)
Penalty: Lonergan (3)

 

TEAMS

ARGENTINA
1 Rodrigo Martínez, 2 Leonel Oviedo, 3 Lucio Sordoni, 4 Salvador Ochoa, 5 Lucas Paulos, 6 Joaquín de la Vega (capt.), 7 Santiago Grondona, 8 Bautista Pedemonte, 9 Manuel Nogues, 10 Joaquín de la Vega Mendia, 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Juan Pablo Castro, 14 Leopoldo Herrera, 15 Santiago Carreras

Replacements: 16 Agustín Milet, 17 Agustín Mansilla, 18 Mayco Vivas, 19 Ignacio Gandini, 20 Santiago Ruiz, 21 Gonzalo García, 22 Juan Bautista Daireaux, 23 Pablo Avellaneda

AUSTRALIA
1 Harry Hoopert, 2 Efi Ma’afu, 3 Tom Ross, 4 Angus Blyth, 5 Harry Hockings, 6 Rory Suttor, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Josh Kemeny, 9 Ryan Lonergan (capt.), 10 Hamish Stewart, 11 Mack Hansen, 12 Bayley Kuenzle, 13 Semisi Tupou, 14 Isiah Latu, 15 Lawson Creighton

Replacements: 16 Sama Malolo, 17 George Francis, 18 Charlie Hancock, 19 Esei Ha’angana, 20 Pat Tafa, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Isaac Lucas, 23 Will Harrison