Late try gives Uruguay win over USA at u20 Trophy

Uruguay came away with a dramatic 33-31 win over the USA in the opening round of the World Rugby u20 Trophy in Nairobi on Saturday. A poor start saw the North Americans having to claw their way back in the game, but a lack of discipline gave the South Americans a chance to recover from an 8-point deficit late in the game to claim victory.

It was all Uruguay in the opening minutes. Juan Carlos Canessa kicked a penalty goal with under two minutes on the clock to open the scoring. A turnover then cost the Americans dearly as Ícaro Amarillo danced through some poor tackling to score a try. Canessa added the extras and a second penalty to give the Teritos a 13-nil lead.

A response finally came through Dominic Besag. The USA captain sped around the outside from inside his own half, sold a dummy, and then took a looping return pass from Sosaia Pongi to score a much-needed try. Hugh O’Kennedy’s conversion closed the gap to six points.

Canessa stretched it again with his third penalty goal after the USA defense was caught offside, but not long after a high tackle gave O’Kennedy the chance to match the effort. A lack of discipline resulted in another three points from the boot of O’Kennedy.

Just before halftime John Wilson was sent to the bin for committing too many penalties. With time up on the clock Amarillo kicked to the corner. The throw-in was from 10 meters away but the pack did their job and the driving maul went over with Franco Bertini getting the credit. Canessa added two more to make it 23-13 at the break.

When play resumed it was the USA who took the initiative. Jaydon Brooks entered the game to fill in for Wilson and the scrum won a penalty, leading to an attacking lineout. Hayden McKay found his target in Will Sherman and the drive came on, with McKay the man at the back to fall over the line. Again O’Kennedy was accurate and it was now a three-point game.

The Teritos then saw influential No8 Manuel Rosmarino carried off the field after a heavy collision with Brooks. O’Kennedy then leveled the scores with his third penalty kick, before adding a fourth to give the USA their first lead just before the hour mark. The latter was set up by a thunderous carry from Dylan Fortune that left Francisco Deffeminis flat on his back, the flanker replaced by Martín Civetta.

A fracas after the whistle saw players from both sides admonished, with Solomon Williams joined by Manuel Bertolotti on the sideline for 10 minutes. McKay then grabbed a double, breaking from the back of a maul to the unguarded openside to score. The conversion attempt from O’Kennedy was no good but the gap was now eight points.

Almost immediately the momentum swung back in Uruguay’s favor. Canessa landed a three-pointer and then Jackson Cain saw yellow for a cynical penalty in his own end. The Teritos opted for the scrum and the gamble paid off. Amarillo spotted a wide-open Dante Soto and the cross-kick was spot on for the try. Canessa landed the kick from out wide to nudge Uruguay ahead by two with only three minutes to play.

Pedro Hoblog knocked on from the restart but the USA conceded a penalty at the scrum and the chance was lost. The USA tried desperately to win a turnover at the breakdown as the clock ticked down but instead conceded a penalty, and Amarillo sent the ball into the stands to end the game.

Both teams return to action on Thursday. Uruguay will take on Zimbabwe, who were outclassed by Scotland on Day One. It’s the Scots who the USA will have to contend with in Nairobi.

 

SCORING

URUGUAY 33
Tries (3) – I. Amarillo (6′), F. Bertini (40’+1′), D. Soto (76′)
Cons (3) – J. Canessa 3/3 (7′, 40’+2′, 77′)
Pens (4) – J. Canessa 4/4 (2′, 12′, 19′, 66′)
YC (1) – M. Bertolotti (59′)

USA 31
Tries (3) – D. Besag (13′), H. McKay 2 (44′, 62′)
Cons (2) – H. O’Kennedy 2/3 (14′, 45′)
Pens (4) – H. O’Kennedy 4/4 (23′, 27′, 52′, 56′)
YC (3) – J. Wilson (40′), S. Williams (59′), J. Cain (70′)

 

TEAMS

URUGUAY u20
1 Joaquín Borrazas (17 Felipe Pick 59′), 2 Máximo Lamelas (16 Francisco García 55′), 3 Juan Pedro Lorenzo (18 Tomás Coubrough 68′), 4 Franco Bertini, 5 Manuel Bertolotti, 6 Juan Ignacio Cambón (capt.), 7 Francisco Deffeminis (19 Martín Civetta 56′), 8 Manuel Rosmarino (20 Arturo Ten Hoever 47′), 9 Joaquín Suárez (21 Pedro Hoblog 55′), 10 Ícaro Amarillo, 11 Nicolás Conti (23 Dante Soto 59′), 12 Guillermo Juan Storace, 13 Pedro Brum, 14 Juan González, 15 Juan Carlos Canessa

Not used: 22 Juan Bautista Crisci

USA u20
1 John Wilson (18 Jaydon Brooks 66′), 2 Hayden McKay, 3 Connor Devos (17 Declan Dolan 63′), 4 Dylan Fortune, 5 Will Sherman, 6 Cameron McAlpine (19 Jackson Cain 56′), 7 Logan Ballinger, 8 Aidan Christians (20 Henry Duke 63′), 9 Tommy Hannon (21 Solomon Williams 49′), 10 Hugh O’Kennedy, 11 Iosefa Toia’ivao, 12 Dominic Besag (capt.), 13 Aisake Tukuafu, 14 Sosaia Pongi (18 Jaydon Brooks 42′-48′) (23 Corbin Smith 48′), 15 Rand Santos

Not used: 16 John Vinter, 22 Ollie Cline

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji)
Assistants: Craig Chan (Hong Kong) & Sylvain Mané (Senegal)