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Uruguay earned respect today against South Africa. The countries met in a u20s match; it was a round one contest in the Under-20 International Series. Argentina downed Georgia earlier on in the day in the tournament’s first match.
South Africa u20s were 29-10 winners over Uruguay u20s. The home side converted a 7-3 half-time lead into a bonus point win. The story of the match is that of a tale of progress. Uruguay is a union on a low budget but one that is gaining returns. The test team and u20s side are made up of home-produced players. The combination of a strong club game and Peñarol is contributing to growth.
South Africa and Uruguay have met three times at set match level. South Africa were 39-3 winners at RWC 1999 and 72-6 winners at RWC 2003. The Springboks recorded a 134-3 win in the most recent clash, a test match in East London in 2005. In other words, Los Teritos’ loss today was that of a team earning respect.
The early signs were not good for Los Teritos. South Africa claimed an opening minute score as Canaan Moodie scored the first of two tries for the match. The try came from an impressive break from fullback Quan Horn.
Uruguay hit-back with the only other score of the opening half. Fullback Tomás Bamuele landed a 10th minute penalty. The remainder of the half was a war of attrition. South Africa went close only to be held up in the try zone. Uruguay’s commitment was laudable.
The Junior Springboks looked to Bobby Alexander after half-time. The scrum-half scored one try and set-up another. His assist for Moodie put the home side in firm control.
South Africa were not done yet. They looked to the basics for their fourth try. It saw replacement hooker Andre-Hugo Venter touching down int he try zone from a rolling-maul. Winger Curwin Gertse then gave the Junior Springboks their final score and with it a 29-3 lead.
Meanwhile, Uruguay were down to thirteen men. While the points were being conceded this did not lead the team to thrown in the towel. Instead, they battered over and into the try zone for what appeared to be a try. It was deemed not so and South Africa won a penalty.
The try did eventually come. Touching down was replacement loose head Gabriel Evans. His try was converted to see Uruguay matching Georgia’s 10 points from earlier on in the day.
SCORING
SOUTH AFRICA 29
Try: Moodie 2, Alexander, Venter, Gertse
Con: Wilkie, Meadon
URUGUAY 10
Try: Evans
Con: Baumeule
Pen: Bameule
TEAMS
SOUTH AFRICA
1 Nolan Pienaar, 2 Jacques Goosen, 3 Blaine Golden, 4 Raynard Roets, 5 Dylan de Leeuw, 6 Sasko Ndluvo (capt.), 7 Reinhardt Ludwig, 8 Izan Esterhuizen, 9 Bobby Alexander, 10 Brandon Wilkie, 11 Curwin Gertse, 12 Tyler Bocks, 13 Ethan James, 14 Canaan Moodie, 15 Quan Horn
Replaements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Corne Weilbach, 19 Simon Miller, 20 Rynard Mouton, 21 Siyambuka Ningiza, 22 George Cronje, 23 Bradley Davids
URUGUAY
1 Ignacio Rua, 2 Gerónimo Gutierrez, 3 Matteo Bertini, 4 Juan Pirone, 5 Tomás Etcheverry, 6 Juan Martín David, 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Carlos Deus (capt.), 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Sebastián Gómez Platero, 11 Ignacio Facciolo, 12 Juan Manuel Alonso, 13 Augustio Paullier, 14 Bautista Basso, 15 Tomás Bamuele
Replacements: 16 Joaquín Myszka, 17 Gabriel Evans, 18 Juan Bautista Zerbino, 19 Agustín Doño, 20 Diego Sere, 21 Juan Manuel Algorta, 22 Manuel Tavernaberry, 23 Javier Garese
