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Matías D’Avanzo scored with the clock showing full-time to give Uruguay a 27-23 win over Canada in the second round of the World Rugby u20 Trophy in Bucharest. It spoiled what might have been a come-from-behind win from the North Americans who had trailed for almost the entirety of the match until a late try of their own gave them a lead.
Los Teritos were in complete control at the scrum and it was there that their first try came, a simple pushover with captain Santiago Civetta falling on the ball over the line. Juan Martin Cattivelli converted to make it a full seven.
Will Percillier got Canada on the board with a penalty goal near the end of the opening quarter. He and Cattivelli then exchanged penalties before Uruguay scored their second try just before halftime.
A Civetta offoad put Mateo Vinals in space. The left wing’s pass was deflected by Elias Ergas into the in-goal area and it was Alfonso Costa who won the race for the touchdown. Cattivelli couldn’t land the sideline conversion but the Teritos had a 15-6 lead.
Canada came out with purpose after the break and the pressure resulted first in a yellow card and then a try. Joaquín Jaunsolo was binned for collapsing a maul, then Michael Smith peeled around a ruck, bounced off the defender and crashed over the line for the try.
It would be 10 minutes before another score, this time a try to Uruguay. A miss-pass put Manuel Ardao on the outside of his defender and the flanker found Manuel Portela unmarked on his inside for a runaway score. José Iruleguy’s conversion attempt hit the upright leaving it just a one-score gap.
A second yellow card came to Uruguay in the 64th minute with hooker Emiliano Faccennini dispatched for a neck roll. Percillier took the three points on offer, and soon after Canada took the lead. As before it was from close range, Jackson Matthews doing just enough to sneak over the line. The conversion game Canada a three-point lead to set up the dramatic finale.
The scrum set the platform, and with advantage Uruguay simply went through a couple phases on the blindside before attacking the midfield. D’Avanzo picked a gap between two forwards and his line took him straight under the sticks for the try. Iruleguy’s conversion was academic as the final whistle sounded.
Canada will play Fiji on Wednesday in the knowledge that their hopes for a top-half finish are over. Uruguay have a showdown with Portugal with a shot at third place on offer, and possibly more pending the result of Portugal’s game against Fiji later on Saturday.
SCORING
URUGUAY 27
Tries – S. Civetta (10′), A. Costa (40′), M. Portela (57′), M. D’Avanzo (80′)
Cons – J. Cattivelli 1/2 (11′), J. Iruleguy 1/2 (80′)
Pens – J. Cattivelli 1/1 (21′)
Yellow cards – J. Jaunsolo (46′), E. Faccennini (64′)
CANADA 23
Tries – M. Smith (47′), J. Matthews (69′)
Cons – W. Percillier 2/2 (48′, 70′)
Pens – W. Percillier 3/3 (18′, 27′, 65′)
TEAMS
URUGUAY
1 Joaquín Jaunsolo, 2 Emiliano Faccennini, 3 Reinaldo Piussi, 4 Martín Darracq, 5 Felipe Aliaga, 6 Manuel Ardao, 7 James McCubbin, 8 Santiago Civetta (capt.), 9 Juan Nicola, 10 Juan Martín Cattivelli, 11 Mateo Viñals, 12 Manuel Portela, 13 Valentín Grille, 14 Alfonso Costa, 15 José Iruleguy
Replacements: 16 Nicolás Buysan, 17 Francisco Martirena, 18 Ignacio Peculo, 19 Joaquín García, 20 Maxime Sonneveld, 21 Juan Garese, 22 Matías D’Avanzo, 23 Baltazar Amaya, 24 César Riviere, 25 Juan Francisco Torres, 26 Alfonso Cat
CANADA
1 Gavin Kratz, 2 Jack McRogers, 3 Tyler Rowland, 4 Reid Davis, 5 Quentin James, 6 Owain Ruttan, 7 James O’Neill (capt.), 8 Michael Smith, 9 Will Percillier, 10 Campbell Clarke, 11 Josiah Morra, 12 Kevin Vertkas, 13 Seth Purdey, 14 Elias Ergas, 15 Brennig Prevost
Replacements: 16 Tyler Rockwell, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Guerschom Mukendi, 19 Peter Ingoldsby, 20 Jackson Matthews, 21 Brandon Schellenberger, 22 Lachlan Kratz, 23 Jack McCarthy, 24 Tyler Duguid, 25 Mitchell Wainman, 26 Gabriel Casey
