Up and Under

Up and Under is a weekly exclusive on Americas Rugby News. It covers the best and worst from games involving the Americas players and teams over the previous week.

 

UP

Canada Secure Quarter Final at Women’s World Cup
Canada clinched their spot in the Quarter Finals with a 22-12 win over Italy at Waitakere Stadium in their second match of the World Cup. Once again it was the strength of the Canadian forwards which proved the difference with a dominant set piece providing the platform for victory. Next weekend will see Canada wrap up their pool stage against the USA at the same venue. A single bonus point will be enough to clinch top spot and improve their seeding heading into the knock-out round.

USA beat Japan to stay alive
The USA overcame a woeful first half performance to beat Japan 30-17 in their second pool match of the Women’s World Cup in Whangarei. Numerous errors saw the underdogs taking a 5-3 lead to the break but the Eagles responded with 27 points in the second forty to keep their Quarter Final hopes alive. While they now look to be odds-on to make the top eight, the USA have to raise their game in a big way to have any chance of getting beyond that stage.

Chile extent winning streak against Brazil
Chile defeated Brazil 57-36 on Sunday. The contest was uncapped as the teams were playing as the Brazil XV and the Chile XV. More on that in the under section. The Rugby World Cup 2023 participants led the contest throughout with Brazil looking to compete and believing they had an opportunity. Chile’s win was their third of the year and fifth consecutive win over Brazil.

Uruguay XV make statement against USA Falcons
The Uruguay XV played host to the USA Falcons on Thursday at Montevideo’s Estadio Charrúa. The non-capped fixture was the opening contest of the Uruguay Conference, a tournament positioned for match practice ahead of the November Internationals. The Uruguay XV were 50-27 winners in what was a high scoring contest.

MLR Talent at Rugby World Cup 2023 is inevitable  
Namibia are set to field their strongest team since the 2019 World Cup on their two-test European tour in November. They face the Griquas in Windhoek on November 5. The squad will then be trimmed for matches against Spain in Madrid on November 12 and finally Canada in Amsterdam on November 19. The squad includes New England Free Jacks center Le Roux Malan, utility Milaan van Wyk who plays for New Mexico Tech, Free Jacks back row Wian Conradie, Dallas Jackals eightman Adriaan Booysen, NOLA Gold scrumhalf Damian Stevens, and Utah Warriors flyhalf Cliven Loubser. Former Seattle Seawolves hooker Obert Nortjé has also been named.

Kremer put Concordia on the map
The provincial senate of Entre Ríos named Marcos Kremer as Honorary Ambassador of Sport in the province. The native of Concordia went through the Argentine system; from club to high performance rugby to Super Rugby all as a teenager. Now aged 26, Kremer plays in the Top 14. He has 53 caps including wins vs Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. 100 caps are a highly realistic target. 

Mateo Carreras Wants a Pumas Recall
The Tucumán flier did it again. Mateo Carreras started the week by being named scorer of the try of the month in the English Premiership. Then on Saturday, Carreras scored a contender for try of the season. The Newcastle Falcon ran from inside his own 22, side-stepping and beating six Northampton Saints’ defenders to score. He looks a good bet to start at least once for Los Pumas in November. Bautista Delguy is also pressing for more opportunities. He scored the winner for Clermont against Perpignan on Saturday.

Mateo Carreras is at it again!

Enjoy this one! pic.twitter.com/fTnUz2mWZY

— Newcastle Falcons (@FalconsRugby) October 15, 2022

Elite debut for Giuliano Avaca
The number of Argentines playing professional rugby at the elite level continues to increase. The latest to make his debut is Giuliano Avaca. The teenager from Córdoba made his United Rugby Championship (URC) debut for Benetton against Edinburgh on Saturday. The 19-year-old was one of three uncapped recruits from Argentina by Benetton this season.

The might of Kenya awaits USA Eagles
Kenya are ramping up their training ahead of next month’s last-gasp World Cup Qualifier series in Dubai. The Simbas will open their Repechage tournament against the USA on November 6, followed by Portugal on November 12 and finally Hong Kong on November 18. Paul Odera’s squad contains 11 players who were in the group that faced Canada at Marseille in 2018. Among them are standout flanker George Nyambua, livewire scrumhalf Samson Onsomu, and World Sevens Series legend Collins Injera. Onsomu has only just returned to the squad after a long layoff.

 

UNDER

Uncapped status for what really was a test match
Brazil and Chile played as the Brazil XV and Chile XV on Sunday. Both teams fielded line-ups very close to the genuine test match article. Missing were a few names, but less than what have previously played in test matches. Brazil even flew in Lorenzo Massari from Italy for the match and series.

Second-half slide sees USA Falcons fall in South Africa
A dominant second half gave the Cheetahs a 53-25 Toyota Challenge win over the USA Falcons in Bloemfontein on Friday. The visitors held a 20-17 lead at the intermission, but then slipped away to concede 29 unanswered points to their South African hosts. The USA will wrap up their tour next weekend against the Pumas, also in Bloemfontein.

Controversial red card for Chris Baumann
There was controversy in Uruguay XV vs USA Falcons. Chris Baumann was sent from the field early in the second half following a report from the assistant referee. The official claimed that the USA prop had raised his elbow into the face of Baltazar Amaya in a collision. A video replay, however, did not provide evidence of the claim. With no TMO available the USA could only accept the decision and play the rest of the game down a forward. Uruguay took full advantage, scoring three tries via the maul with Faccennini’s brace followed by two from his replacement Guillermo Pujadas.

A year of lows to finish as such for Canada 
Canada are set to play two tests in Europe next month. Both will take place at the National Rugby Stadium in Amsterdam. The first will be against the Netherlands on Saturday, November 12, with the second a neutral-venue clash against Namibia on Saturday, November 19. This is hardly a comparative list to those from the past. Such has been the fall from grace of the national men’s team under Kingsley Jones.