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Spain and Uruguay played out a thriller on Sunday. The u20 teams competed in what was an excellent game of rugby to contest the 2023 Junior World Trophy Final. In a match with the lead changing hands, Spain finished as 39-32 winners.
The win for Spain represents more than just a tournament victory. It means Spain have won promotion from the Junior World Trophy to the 2024 World Rugby Junior Championship. Spain replace Japan who finished bottom of the 2023 Junior Championship.
Spain did not start the Junior World Trophy Final well. Scrum-half Pablo Pérez Merono was yellow carded in the 1st minute. Uruguay punished the 14-men Spain with fullback Juan Carlos Canessa slotting the opening points.
Uruguay’s early dominance next saw Guillermo Juan Storace breaking the defensive line. The center made a clean-break and try assist for flanker Francisco Deffeminis.
Spain missed out on scoring in response as Beau Finnian’s penalty was wide. Instead, Uruguay scored again. Canessa linked with winger Juan González who scored. Canessa made it 15-0 with the conversion.
Spain’s response came with the team playing with 15-men again. Mario Coronado Mico made a break and off-loaded to Borja Ibañez Escalera who had just enough to reach the line.
Loose-head prop Cristian Moreno Fernandez added another for Spain minutes later. He went over for a pick-and-go score. All of a sudden the game was poised at 15-14 in favor of Los Teritos.
Spain then went ahead. Daniel Catanzaro Omati won a turn-over penalty from which Peart landed a long-range penalty for a 17-15 lead after 30 minutes.
Ibañez Escalera continued his fine half with a second try. It came after a good run from Catanzaro Omati. Peart converted to end the first-half with Spain leading 24-15.
Uruguay’s response came in the second-half. Storace gained good ground with ball in hand before being taken to ground. Fly half Icaro Amarillo then provided an assist for Canessa to score in the try zone.
The South Americans were now looking confident. Too confident perhaps as Spain pounced on an error. Spain responded by charging down a box kick from which Gabriel Rocaries went over.
The back-and-forth continued. This time Uruguay scored though replacement second-rower Martín Civetta. He ran 50 meters for a wonderful solo score. The conversion was good which made it a 31-27 scoreline, in favor of Spain, at the end of the third quarter.
A massive 48-meter penalty from Marcel Sirvent Sanso took Spain to 30 points. Uruguay looked to the maul in response. A 30 meter advance took Los Teritos into the Spanish 22. Hooker Máximo Lamelas split off the maul to be stopped inches short. Scrum-half Pedro Hoblog then picked up to score. Canessa missed the potential equalizing conversion.
Spain held on and had he final say. Following a messy up-and-under take from Uruguay, Diego González scored in the try zone. Spain celebrated the win. With the frustrations of being disqualified from the Men’s Rugby World Cup, winning the Junior World Trophy will mean so much for Spain. It means promotion in place of Japan.
URUGUAY u20
1 Joaquín Borrazás, 2 Máximo Lamelas, 3 Juan Pedro Lorenzo, 4 Franco Bertini, 5 Manuel Bertotti, 6 Juan Ignacio Cambón, 7 Francisco Deffeminis, 8 Manuel Rosmarino, 9 Joaquín Suárez, 10 Ícaro Amarillo, 11 Nicolás Conti, 12 Guillermo Juan Storace, 13 Pedro Brum, 14 Juan González, 15 Juan Carlos Canessa
Replacements: 16 Francisco García, 17 Felipe Pick, 18 Tomás Coubrough, 19 Martín Civetta, 20 Máximo Lorenzo y Lozada, 21 Pedro Hoblog, 22 Juan Bautista Crisci, 23 Dante Soto
🫵🏻 Así salimos para enfrentar a España.
🏆 Final – World Rugby U20 Trophy
📆 Domingo 30/7 – 10:00H #VamosTeritos🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/Q85qFlZ0cd— Los Teritos (@Teritos_URU) July 29, 2023
