World Rugby Nations Cup – Final Round Preview

After two competitive rounds of the Nations Cup the competition is set to conclude. The third and final match day in Montevideo is to be Sunday. The feature match sees hosts Uruguay up against Spain. A win will see Los Teros crowned Nations Cup champions. The fixture will follow the Argentina XV taking-on Emerging Italy while Russia face Namibia.

Detailed roster lists, tables, and fixtures can be seen here.

All matches will be streamed live by World Rugby.

 

NAMIBIA (20) vs RUSSIA (19)
Sunday, Jun 18, 11:00, Montevideo

Russia are looking to rebound from losing to Uruguay. The Bears were well in control against Los Teros only to be overtaken as the South Americans completed a stunning comeback. The result saw Uruguay rising to 19th in the World Rankings.

In 20th spot is Namibia, Russia’s opponent on Sunday. The Rugby Europe vs Rugby Afrique fixture is also one featuring two sides targeting spots in  Japan 2019. Namibia has been a permanent fixture at World Cups in the professional era. Russia’s one tournament, to date, was in 2011. Both countries, along with Spain and Uruguay are in the running to play in 2019.

Namibia has largely kept the faith from Wednesday. Changes to the pack see Caspar Viviers and AJ de Klerk starting in place of Collen Smith and Aranos Coetzee as the props. The remaining change in the pack sees Christo van der Merwe replacing Wian Conradie at flanker.

In the backs four players keep their spots. The three changes come at outside center, right wing and fullback. JC Greyling has been replaced by Justin Newman in the mid-field while Johann Tromp moves from fullback to wing enabling Chrysander Botha to start at the back.

Russia’s lineup to face the Africans in Montevideo features changes from that which faced Uruguay. Captain Vasili Artemiev moves from the wing to fullback. In doing so Ramil Gaisin drops to the bench and Alexei Mikhaltsov will play left wing.

Elsewhere in the backs Konstantin Uzunov makes way for Alexei Shcherban at scrum half while Vladimir Rudenko starts at outside center in place of Kirill Gubin.

In the pack there are also changes. Both starting props are different with Valeri Morozov and Vladimir Podrezov getting the nod against Namibia. There are also alterations at flanker with Andrei Temnov and Tagir Gadzhiev both starting.

NAMIBIA
1 Casper Viviers, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 3 AJ de Klerk, 4 Ruan Ludick, 5 Tjiuee Uanivi, 6 Wian Conradie, 7 Janco Venter, 8 Renaldo Bothma (capt.), 9 Damian Stevens, 10 Theuns Kotzé, 11 Gino Wilson, 12 Darryl de la Harpe, 13 Justin Newman, 14 Johann Tromp, 15 Chrysander Botha

Replacements: 16 Shaun du Preez, 17 Collen Smith, 18 Aranos Coetzee, 19 Mahepisa Tjeriko, 20 PJ van Lill, 21 Eugene Jantjies, 22 Cliven Loubser, 23 JC Greyling

RUSSIA
1 Valeri Morozov, 2 Stanislav Selskiy, 3 Vladimir Podrezov, 4 Dmitri Krotov, 5 Bogdan Fedotko, 6 Andrei Temnov, 7 Tagir Gadzhiev, 8 Anton Rudoi, 9 Alexei Shcherban, 10 Yuri Kushnarev, 11 Alexei Mikhaltsov, 12 Dmitri Gerasimov, 13 Vladimir Rudenko, 14 Denis Simplikevich, 15 Vasili Artemiev (capt.)

Replacements: 16 Sergei Chernyshev, 17 Andrei Polivalov, 18 Evgeni Mishechkin, 19 Vladimir Suslov, 20 Victor Gresev, 21 Konstantin Uzunov, 22 Alexander Budychenko, 23 Ramil Gaisin

 

ARGENTINA XV (9) vs EMERGING ITALY (15)
Sunday, June 18, 13:15, Montevideo

Argentina XV Head Coach Felipe Contepomi has gone for 10 changes. The team recovered from their opening day loss against Russia to down Spain mid-week.

Changes for Emerging Italy come across the field. Those retaining their spots are second-rowers Ignacio Larrague and Pedro Ortega, fly half Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, winger Franco Cuaranta and center Juan Cappiello.

Returning to captain the side is Lautaro Bavaro. He is back at flanker and will join Francisco Gorrisen and Rodrigo Bruni in the back-row. Recent call-up Agustín Gómez Di Nardo earns his first ever start for the Argentina XV, doing so at the age of 32. He starts ahead of Jaguar Roberto Tejerizo.

In the backs Contepomi has named a roster featuring fringe Jaguares players. The talented Bruno Devoto will play between Díaz Bonilla and Cappiello while both Julián Domínguez and Fernando Lima start in the back-three.

Emerging Italy have also gone for a much changed lineup. In the backs there are three changes. Matteo Minozzi starts at fullback in place of Filippo Buscema, Giacomo De Santis makes way for Matteo Manganiello on the left wing while Leonardo Mantelli takes over from Maicol Azzolini at fly half.

In the forwards Samuele Ortis replaces Riccardo Michieletto in the second-row. The remaining seven forwards are unchanged from that which faced Namibia on Wednesday.

With both Argentina and Italy struggling in their respective June Internationals’ series players from both may go on to play at the elite level for their countries this year.

ARGENTINA XV
1 Franco Brarda, 2 Agustín Gómez Di Nardo, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Pedro Ortega, 5 Ignacio Larrague, 6 Francisco Gorrissen, 7 Lautaro Bavaro (capt.), 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 9 Felipe Ezcurra, 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 11 Franco Cuaranta, 12 Bruno Devoto, 13 Juan Cappiello, 14 Julián Domínguez, 15 Fernando Luna

Replacements: 16 Roberto Tejerizo, 17 Francisco Ferronato, 18 Cristian Bartolini, 19 Santiago Portillo, 20 Santiago Montagner, 21 Lautaro Bázan, 22 Martín Elías, 23 Segundo Tuculet

EMERGING ITALY
1 Derrick Appiah, 2 Engjel Makelara, 3 George Iacob, 4 Riccardo Michieletto, 5 Leonard Krumov, 6 Matteo Corazzi, 7 Renato Giammarioli, 8 Mirko Amenta, 9 Simone Marinaro (capt.), 10 Maicol Azzolini, 11 Matteo Manganiello, 12 Enrico Lucchin, 13 Matteo Gabbianelli, 14 Pierre Bruno, 15 Matteo Minozzi

Replacements: 16 Adriano Daniele, 17 Paolo Buonfiglio, 18 Roberto Tenga, 19 Niccolò Zago, 20 Luca Nostran, 21 Pietro Gregorio, 22 Filippo Buscema, 23 Marco Susio

 

URUGUAY (19) vs SPAIN (18)
Sunday, June 18, 15:30, Montevideo

With home advantage Uruguay are targeting the title. Achieving the feat would be nothing short of extraordinary for Uruguayan rugby. It would help the sport grow and give the team confidence for them to perform in the next stage of Rugby World Cup qualifiers.

Uruguay’s path to the final round has not come without complications. Injuries outside have see Los Teros’ wingers dropping like flies. The latest to be sidelined is Gastón Mieres. His spot against Spain has gone to Gaston Gibernau.

The remaining backs are unchanged from that which started against Russia. This sees youngster Santiago Arata starting ahead of Agustín Ormaechea again.

In the forwards there has also been one change. Starting at flanker is Gonzalo Soto Mera. He comes in for Franco Lamanna. Injuries aside this is the strongest Uruguayan side. The one missing player if Rodrigo Capó Ortega of Castres.

Spain are also without French-based players. The result is that the Spanish Lions side playing in the Nations Cup is below full-strength. Those in Montevideo are all being given opportunities.

Massive changes from Wednesday’s match against the Argentina XV have seen 13 changes. This sees an entirely new forward pack. The one forward backing-up from the Argentina XV match is Jaime Nava. He moves from flanker to No 8.

In the backs Grégory Maiquez and Dan Snee form a new halves combination. They replace Tomás Munilla and Álvar Gimeno.Fullback Scott Linklater also retains his spot.

The changes come in the centers and on the wings. Jordi Jorba will play right wing in place of Federico Castiglioni who moves to outside center. Álvar Gimeno will play inside Castiglioni. He is to do so in place of Andrea Rabago.

URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Martín Espiga, 3 Mario Sagario, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Diego Ayala, 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt.), 7 Gonzalo Soto, 8 Alejandro Nieto, 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Felipe Berchesi, 11 Gastón Gibernau, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Juan Manuel Cat, 14 Leandro Leivas, 15 Rodrigo Silva

Replacements: 16 Germán Kessler, 17 Matías Benítez, 18 Juan Echeverría, 19 Manuel Diana, 20 Diego Magno, 21 Agustín Ormaechea, 22 Francisco Berchesi, 23 Agustín Della Corte

SPAIN
1 Jean-Baptiste Custoja, 2 Juan Anaya, 3 Jon Zabala, 4 Carlos Gavidi, 5 Victor Sánchez, 6 Gautier Gibouin, 7 Fred Quercy, 8 Jaime Nava (capt.), 9 Grégory Maiquez, 10 Dan Snee, 11 Ignacio Contardi, 12 Álvar Gimeno, 13 Federico Casteglioni, 14 Jordi Jorba, 15 Brad Linklater

Replacements: 16 Fernando López, 17 Daniel Marrón, 18 Alberto Blanco, 19 Manuel Mora, 20 Lucas Guillaume, 21 Tomás Munilla, 22 Brice Labadie, 23 Afa Tauli