Uruguay maul Kenya in blowout win

Kenya were no match for Uruguay at the World Rugby u20 Trophy in Brazil as the Teritos smashed the Chipu by a final score of 63-11. The strength of the Uruguayan forward pack in the scrum and maul proved unstoppable as the Kenyans conceded nine tries to only one on their own behalf.

A huge lineout drive set up an easy try for Maxime Sonneveld just a minute after the opening whistle. The very same method yielded a second try just a couple minutes later through hooker Juan Martín Rippe. Denis Coulson fired back with a penalty for what would be the only Kenyan score of the half.

Baltazar Amaya fixed onto a telegraphed pass for an intercept try next. Matías D’Avanzo connected on two penalty goals, and then Alfonso Cat snuck around the blindside of a ruck to score the bonus point try at the half-hour mark. The maul went back to work with Faustino Etchegorry on the bottom of the pile to make the halftime score 39-3.

D’Avanzo stabbed through a grubber for Felipe Arcos Pérez just a couple minutes after the restart for try number six. Within moments they were in again, this time captain Juanjuan Garese driving over from short range. Coulson’s second penalty broke the unanswered streak but offered only temporary respite.

Once again it was the maul at play, with Rippe crossing in the corner for his second. Not to be outdone, Sonneveld galloped through the line for his double just a few minutes later. Kenya would get their first and only try just after the restart, a charge-down by replacement flanker Samuel Were.

The next match in Pool A could well decide who plays in the final as Uruguay face off against Japan on Saturday. Kenya will look to rebound in a more competitive fixture against hosts Brazil.

 

SCORING

KENYA 11
Tries – S. Were (61’)
Cons – D. Coulson 0/1
Pens – D. Coulson 2/2 (9’, 47’)

URUGUAY 63
Tries – M. Sonneveld 2 (1’, 59’), J. Rippe 2 (5’, 53′), B. Amaya (14’), A. Cat (29’), F. Etchegorry (37’), F. Arcos Pérez (42’), J. Garese (45’)
Cons – M. D’Avanzo 6/9 (2’, 6’, 15’, 38’, 46’, 60’)
Pens – M. D’Avanzo 2/2 (17’, 21’)

 

TEAMS

KENYA u20
1 Andrew Siminyu, 2 Bonface Ochieng (capt.), 3 Rotuk Rahedi, 4 Emanuel Silungi, 5 Frank Aduda, 6 James McGreevy, 7 Brian Amaitsa, 8 Sheldon Kahi, 9 Samuel Asati, 10 Michele Brighetti, 11 Andrew Matoka, 12 John Okoth, 13 Dominic Coulson, 14 Geoffrey Okwach, 15 Jeff Mutuku

Replacements: 16 Wilfred Waswa, 17 Ian Njenga, 18 Ian Masheti, 19 Collins Obure, 20 Hibrahim Ayoo, 21 Samuel Were, 22 George Kyriazi, 23 Barry Robinson, 24 Owain Ashley, 25 Timothy Okwemba, 26 Douglas Kahuri

URUGUAY u20
1 Ezequiel Ramos, 2 Juan Martín Rippe, 3 Faustino Etchegorry, 4 Juanjuan Garese (capt.), 5 Felipe Aliaga, 6 Maxime Sonneveld, 7 Felipe Lombardo, 8 Santiago Nicolich, 9 Alfonso Cat, 10 Matías D’Avanzo, 11 Baltazar Amaya, 12 Alfonso Costa, 13 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 14 Juan Pablo Costabile, 15 José Iruleguy

Replacements: 16 Carlos Gruss, 17 Santiago Bonasso, 18 Ignacio Péculo, 19 Reinaldo Piussi, 20 Juan Manuel Aguiar, 21 Carlos Deus, 22 Federico Slinger, 23 Santiago del Cerro, 24 Ignacio Rodríguez, 25 Tomás Pollio

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)