France Triumph over Plucky Uruguay in Montevideo

Uruguay’s first home match against a Tier 1 opponent in many years went well. Both teams scored four tries with Los Teros proving to be competitive in a number of areas but lacked the class of France who were 43-28 winners. This was a much different battle than that of Canada vs Scotland from Ottawa this past weekend.

Rodolfo Ambrosio’s debut as Uruguayan Head Coach started unfavorably; star scrum-has Santiago Arata was forced off injured in the opening quarter with his side behind on the score-sheet. France opened with a penalty to Léo Berdeu and a quick-fire double to captain Baptiste Coulloud.

Any suggestions that France would go on to run over Uruguay were quashed, however. Uruguay scored the one remaining first-half try. From a lineout to maul move hooker Germán Kessler touched down. With two late penalties in the half to Berdeu, France went in to half-time leading 23-07.

Two Felipe’s combined after the break. From a scrum on the 22, Uruguay went left with Mateo Viñals at fly half. Viñals passed to Felipe Etcheverry who made a half-break and fed the ball to Felipe Arcos Pérez who scored.

Berdeu responded with two penalties to France. Impact of the giant kind then gave France scoring twice to go out to a commanding 43-14 lead. Rookie second-rower Posolo Tuilagi, who turns 20 later this month, score in the 60th and 63rd minutes for France. Both tries saw his size unleashed at speed with Teros defenders unable to bring him down.

Replacement Uruguayan hooker Guillermo Pujadas hit-back for Uruguay while a penalty try two minutes before full-time saw Los Teros ending the match on a high. The 25 point defeat matches that from Lille at Rugby World Cup 2023.

France’s win follows a victory over Argentina in Mendoza this past Saturday. Les Bleus now return to Argentina to face Los Pumas in Buenos Aires on Saturday. Uruguay will watch on while preparing for Argentina whom they play host to on Saturday, July 20 in Maldonado.

SCORING

URUGUAY (28)
Try (4) – G Kessler (26′); F Arcos Pérez (42′); G Pujadas (64′); Penalty Try (78′)
Con (4) – F Etcheverry 3 (27′, 43′, 64′); No Kick (78′)

FRANCE (43)
Try – B Couilloud 2 (8′, 18′); P Tuilagi 2 (60, 63′)
Con – L Berdeu 2 (9′, 19′); J Seconds 2 (61′, 63′)
Pen – L Berdeu (7′, 32′, 40′, 47′, 54′)

LINEUPS

URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Germán Kessler, 3 Reinaldo Piussi, 4 Felipe Aliaga, 5 Manuel Leindekar, 6 Manuel Ardao, 7 Santiago Civetta, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Felipe Etcheverry, 11 Bautista Basso, 12 Andrés Vilaseca (capt.), 13 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 14 Mateo Viñals, 15 Baltazar Amaya

Replacements: 16 Guillermo Pujadas, 17 Ignacio Péculo, 18 Diego Arbelo, 19 Ignacio Dotti, 20 Lucas Bianchi, 21 Carlos Deus, 22 Tomás Inciarte, 23 Ignacio Álvarez

FRANCE
1 Giorgi Beria, 2 Teddy Baubigney, 3 Thomas Laclayat, 4 Pierre-Henri Azagoh, 5 Florent Vanverberghe, 6 Ibrahim Diallo, 7 Romain Briatte, 8 Killian Tixeront, 9 Baptiste Coulloud (capt.), 10 Léo Berdeu, 11 Joris Jurand, 12 Simele Darricarère, 13 Arthur Vincent, 14 Jules Favre, 15 Lucas Dubois

Replacements: 16 Jannick Tarrit, 17 Sebatién Taofifenua, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Posolo Tuilagi, 20 Yann Peysson, 21 Baptiste Jauneau, 22  Joris Segonds, 23 Nathanael Hulleu

 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
Assistants: Gonzalo de Achaval (Argentina); Tomás Bertazza (Argentina)