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History was made on this day in 2019. Quite simply David downed Goliath. Uruguay put in their most memorable rugby performance of all-time to defeat Fiji. The match was Los Teros’ first game of RWC 2019.
The September 25, 2019 match was the second of two between the countries in under a year. Fiji battered and humbled Fiji in November 2019. The Flying Fijians were 68-7 winners. Moreover, Fiji downed France 21-14 in Paris that same month. The levels of Fiji and Uruguay were evidently vastly different.
Uruguay fielded identical backlines in both matches against Fiji. Santiago Arata scored a try in both matches while Felipe Berchesi kicked goals in both. Berchesi score two points in 2018 compared to 15 in 2019. He was man of the match. His statistics included 12 carries, 86% goal-kicking accuracy (6/7), and 8 tackles.
Berchesi was impressive, so too was Arata. However, this was not a case of two stand-out performers. Rather, Los Teros put in a team-effort. It was a 23-man performance. The coaching staff were meticulous in their planning; the ingrained game-plan had all players performing to a plan with excellence.
Click here to access the match report.
SCORING
FIJI (27)
Try: Dolokoto, Mawi, Ratuniyarawa, Matawalu (2)
Conversion: J Matavesi
URUGUAY (30)
Try: Arata, Diana, Cat
Conversion: Berchesi (3)
Penalty: Berchesi (3)
TEAMS
FIJI
1 Eroni Mawi, 2 Mesulame Dolokoto, 3 Manasa Saulo, 4 Tevita Ratuva, 5 Api Ratuniyarawa, 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu (capt.), 7 Mosese Voka, 8 Leone Nakarawa, 9 Henry Seniloli, 10 Josh Matavesi, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 12 Jale Vatubua, 13 Semi Radradra, 14 Filipo Nakosi, 15 Alivereti Veitokani
Replacements: 16 Veremalua Vugakoto, 17 Campese Ma’afu, 18 Lee-Roy Atalifo, 19 Tevita Cavubati, 20 Sam Matavesi, 21 Niko Matawalu, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Levani Botia
URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Germán Kessler, 3 Diego Arbelo, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Manuel Leindekar, 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt.), 7 Santiago Civetta, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Felipe Berchesi, 11 Rodrigo Silva, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Juan Manuel Cat, 14 Nicolás Freitas, 15 Gastón Mieres
Replacements: 16 Guillermo Pujadas, 17 Facundo Gattas, 18 Juan Pedro Rombys, 19 Franco Lamanna, 20 Juan Diego Ormaechea, 21 Agustín Ormaechea, 22 Felipe Etcheverry, 23 Tomás Inciarte
