Americas Pacific Challenge Round 2 Preview

The second round of the Americas Pacific Challenge kicks off at 11am Montevideo time on Wednesday. A high-scoring opening day saw Uruguay, Tonga, and Samoa emerge victorious in the senior ‘A’ competition. Argentina’s two-year unbeaten streak is over and the North American teams are back on their feels after disappointing starts.

All matches will be broadcast by FloRugby in the USA and World Rugby elsewhere.

 

TONGA ‘A’ vs SAMOA ‘A’

An all-Pacific Island battle is first up in Round 2. The Tongans not only smashed their way to a late victory but also denied the USA a losing bonus point in their match on Saturday. Accordingly they have made only four changes to their side, two each in the forwards and backs.

Tupou Ahome’e comes in for try-scorer Irwin Finau at lock, and veteran Kuli Tonga starts at No8 with Takao Cocker sliding to flanker. A change in the midfield sees To’osavili Havea and Sione Lave start with Paku Afu named on the bench and James Faiva missing out.

Samoa scored a famous upset over Argentina and have also opted for continuity. The impressive forward pack remains intact with the only change coming out wide where Johnny Vaili moves to the left wing and New Zealand-based Bradford Lemalufaitoaga starts at fullback.

TONGA ‘A’
1 George Tu’ineau, 2 Solomone Kioa (capt.), 3 Anthony Aholelei, 4 Tupou Ahome’e, 5 Asaeli Lehauli, 6 Tevita Hafoka, 7 Takao Cocker, 8 Kuli Tonga, 9 Sione Ika, 10 Saia Fililava, 11 Manase Folau, 12 To’osavili Havea, 13 Sione Lave, 14 Petelesio Sili, 15 Alefosio Vahe

Replacements: 16 Maliu Ma’asi, 17 Paea Fono’ifua, 18 Sosaia Masima, 19 Haloti Tupou, 20 Taniela Atiola, 21 Bruce Ikamanu, 22 Sione Ta’ai, 23 Paki Afu

SAMOA ‘A’
1 Setu Enoka, 2 Afa Aiono (capt.), 3 Rodney Tapu, 4 Mikaele Tapili, 5 Ikifusi Matamu, 6 Bruce Kaino, 7 Jacob Mapu, 8 Potu Leavasa Jr., 9 Ionatana Tino, 10 Patrick Fa’apale, 11 Johnny Vaili, 12 D’Angelo Leuila, 13 Alefosio Tapili, 14 Johnny Samuelu, 15 Bradford Lemalufaitoaga

Replacements: 16 Leo Brown, 17 Brook To’omalatai, 18 Tuaniu Tuaniu, 19 Elia Togitele, 20 Fagu Malloy, 21 Danny Tusitala, 22 Ivan Safua, 23 Paulo Scanlan

Date: Wednesday, October 10
Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
Kickoff: 11:00 local (07:00 Pacific, 10:00 Eastern)
Referee: Pali Deluca (UAR)
Assistants: Derek Summers (USAR) & Gonzalo Ventoso (URU)
Broadcasts: World Rugby, FloRugby

 

URUGUAY ‘A’ vs USA SELECT XV

The hosts got the result they wanted against Canada and will now look to repeat against the other North American entry. Uruguay have rotated half of their forward pack while making two changes in the backs.

Juan Rombys runs on at tighthead prop with Diego Ayala in the second row. Juan Diego Ormaechea is in on the flank and Manuel Diana is rewarded for his impressive performance from the bench with a start at No8. The new names at flyhalf and fullback respectively are Andrés De León and Manuel Blengio.

The USA have made two swaps up front after falling to the Tongans. Brendan Daly moves from No8 to lock in place of Taylor Krumrei, and Vili Toluta’u gets the start on the flank with Hanco Germishuys sliding to the back of the scrum.

A new halfback pairing is named in Devereaux Ferris and JP Eloff. Nick Boyer misses out completely with Holden Yungert getting the reserve scrumhalf spot. Mitch Wilson makes way for captain Conor Kearns at fullback. Cam Falcon covers tighthead prop on the bench and loose forward Thomas Robles is set to make his first international appearance as a replacement.

URUGUAY ‘A’
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Germán Kessler, 3 Juan Rombys, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Diego Ayala, 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt.), 7 Juan Diego Ormaechea, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Andrés De León, 11 Federico Favaro, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Joaquín Prada, 14 Leandro Leivas, 15 Manuel Blengio

Replacements: 16 Manuel Ardao, 17 Guillermo Pujadas, 18 Juan Echeverría, 19 Alejandro Nieto, 20 Diego Magno, 21 Joaquín Alonso, 22 Ignacio García, 23 Tomás Inciarte

USA SELECT XV
1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Alex Maughan, 3 John Hayden, 4 Brendan Daly, 5 Nate Brakeley, 6 Psalm Wooching, 7 Vili Toluta’u, 8 Hanco Germishuys, 9 Devereaux Ferris, 10 JP Eloff, 11 Ryan Matyas, 12 Anthony Salaber, 13 Dylan Audsley, 14 Tim Maupin, 15 Conor Kearns (capt.)

Replacements: 16 Pat O’Toole, 17 Angus MacLellan, 18 Cam Falcon, 19 Taylor Krumrei, 20 Matt Jensen, 21 Thomas Robles, 22 Holden Yungert, 23 Mitch Wilson

Date: Wednesday, October 10
Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
Kickoff: 13:30 local (09:30 Pacific, 12:30 Eastern)
Referee: Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
Assistants: Gonzalo Ventoso (URU) & AN Other
Broadcasts: World Rugby, FloRugby

 

ARGENTINA XV vs CANADA ‘A’

There will be no excuses for the Argentines, who will have faced the wrath of Nacho Fernández Lobbe during the week after losing their opening match to Samoa. The coach has responded in kind with only one starting forward surviving the cut and almost an entirely new backline.

The new tight five hands starts to Pumitas graduates Lucio Sordoni at tighthead prop and Lucas Paulos in the second row. A third u20 standout start on the flank in the form of Santiago Grondona, with Francisco Gorrissen leading the side in the absence of benched Lautaro Bavaro.

Domingo Miotti will have his chance to claim a Jaguares spot as he replaces Joaquin Diaz Bonilla in the No10 shirt. Three Pumitas are in the backline. Leopoldo Herrera is on the wing with Santiago Carreras at fullback and call-up Agustín Segura is at outside center with Juan Pablo Castro ruled out.

Canada had a rough time against Uruguay and will be also be looking to rebound. As with Argentina only one forward remains from the opening round with Kyle Baillie moving from lock to the blindside flank. Mike Sheppard partners with Conor Keys in the engine room and Eric Howard starts at hooker in a new-look front row.

There are just two changes in the backs. Gordon McRorie will start in the No10 shirt at the expense of Patrick Parfrey and Jordan Wilson-Ross is named at outside center with Doug Fraser the one to miss out. Nick Blevins and Clayton Meeres are named as reserves after missing the first match.

ARGENTINA XV
1 Franco Brarda, 2 Axel Zapata, 3 Lucio Sordoni, 4 Jerónimo Ureta, 5 Lucas Paulos, 6 Francisco Gorrissen (capt.), 7 Santiago Grondona, 8 Nicolás Sbrocco, 9 Luca Magnasco, 10 Domingo Miotti, 11 Facundo Cordero, 12 Lucas Mensa, 13 Agustín Segura, 14 Leopoldo Herrera, 15 Santiago Carreras

Replacements: 16 Gaspar Baldunciel, 17 Nicolás Solveyra, 18 Lucas Favre, 19 Santiago Portillo, 20 Lautaro Bavaro, 21 Gregorio Del Prete, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Matías Osadczuk

CANADA ‘A’
1 Djustice Sears-Duru, 2 Eric Howard, 3 Ryan Kotlewski, 4 Mike Sheppard, 5 Conor Keys, 6 Kyle Baillie, 7 Travis Larsen, 8 Dustin Dobravsky, 9 Phil Mack (capt.), 10 Gordon McRorie, 11 Brock Staller, 12 Guiseppe du Toit, 13 Jordan Wilson-Ross, 14 Kainoa Lloyd, 15 Theo Sauder

Replacements: 16 Ray Barkwill, 17 Hubert Buydens, 18 Cole Keith, 19 Paul Ciulini, 20 Luke Campbell, 21 Patrick Parfrey, 22 Nick Blevins, 23 Clayton Meeres

Date: Wednesday, October 10
Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
Kickoff: 16:00 local (12:00 Pacific, 15:00 Eastern)
Referee: Joaquín Montes (URU)
Assistants: Derek Summers (USAR) & Martín Bangueses (URU)
Broadcasts: World Rugby, FloRugby