World Cup Qualifier Preview – Uruguay vs Canada

One of the biggest games in Americas rugby history looms in Montevideo on Saturday when Canada walk out in front of a fervent crowd at the Estadio Charrúa for the second leg of the Americas 2 Qualifying series against Uruguay. Los Teros stunned their hosts with a jaw-dropping performance in Vancouver, not only coming away with a famous victory but doing so with style and a foreboding nine-point lead. Canada now have everything to do in the Montevideo heat, a far cry from the comforting atmosphere of BC Place.

Making matters worse for the visitors is the loss of two more key players to injury. Connor Braid drops out with a high ankle sprain and Jeff Hassler with a fractured cheekbone. Canada’s backline has been decimated but there is some good news with the return of first choice flyhalf Shane O’Leary from his own ankle injury. How prepared he is for test rugby having not played since October 28 is a question that will be answered tomorrow afternoon.

Coming in for Hassler is Brock Staller, set to enter the professional ranks with the Seattle Seawolves of Major League Rugby. He starts at fullback with Taylor Paris switching back to the wing. Paris did not enjoy his fullback audition in Vancouver and will be happy to return to his preferred spot while Staller seems likely to assume the goal kicking duties though O’Leary is also an option. Ontario Arrows strike runner Kainoa Lloyd takes the vacant spot on the bench.

No further changes have been made to the team though all involved will be hoping there are changes in performance. Kingsley Jones spoke his disappointment in the defense during the week and has demanded an improvement from his charges, citing poor line speed and missed tackles as major failings in Vancouver. The reality is that tackling won’t be enough on Saturday. Canada need to score points.

Los Teros have had no such cause for reinvention. They delivered all that was promised and then some last weekend and Esteban Meneses has responded with an unchanged side. Uruguay are challenged to repeat their performance and in their familiar surroundings of Fortress Charrúa they will have supreme confidence in their ability to write history.

Canada enter the match as distinct underdogs, out of form and under immense pressure. Never before have they faced such a challenge in World Cup Qualification. Absent numerous professionals and with questions asked of senior players who were badly outplayed in Vancouver. They must score points and yet Los Teros proved they have the defensive mettle to deal with Canada’s potent outside backs. It also seems unlikely that goal kicker Felipe Berchesi will have another bay day with the boot. If he falters early expect Juan Manuel Cat to take over, an equally talented striker of the ball.

Only faith can lead one to predict a Canadian victory given those odds. Los Teros ignored history in a masterstroke of 80 minutes to stun the rugby world in Vancouver. Heading into this weekend’s match with a nine-point lead and a fit-and-firing roster makes Uruguay clear favorites to win the Rugby World Cup Qualifier and achieve Americas 2 qualification for the first time in their history.

Worth noting is the tie-breaking procedure should Canada lead by nine points at the end of regular time on Saturday. In that case two 10-minute halves of extra time would be played to their conclusion. If a winner is still not determined the match enters sudden death format with two five-minute halves. Following that, the winner will be decided via penalty kicks.

 

URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Germán Kessler, 3 Mario Sagario, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Rodrigo Capó Ortega, 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt.), 7 Franco Lamanna, 8 Alejandro Nieto, 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Felipe Berchesi, 11 Nicolás Freitas, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Juan Manuel Cat, 14 Leandro Leivas, 15 Rodrigo Silva

Replacements: 16 Carlos Pombo, 17 Matías Benítez, 18 Juan Echeverría, 19 Manuel Leindekar, 20 Rodolfo Garese, 21 Agustín Ormaechea, 22 Gastón Mieres, 23 Joaquín Prada

CANADA
1 Hubert Buydens, 2 Ray Barkwill, 3 Jake Ilnicki, 4 Brett Beukeboom, 5 Josh Larsen, 6 Evan Olmstead, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Tyler Ardron, 9 Phil Mack (capt.), 10 Shane O’Leary, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 12 Nick Blevins, 13 Ben LeSage, 14 Taylor Paris, 15 Brock Staller

Replacements: 16 Benoît Pifféro, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Cole Keith, 19 Admir Cejvanovic, 20 Lucas Rumball, 21 Gordon McRorie, 22 Patrick Parfrey, 23 Kainoa Lloyd

 

Date: Saturday, February 3
Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
Kickoff: 17:00 local (15:00 Eastern, 12:00 Pacific)
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistants: Federico Anselmi (UAR) & Pali Deluca (UAR)
TMO: tba (UAR)
Broadcasts: TSN (Canada), DIRECTV (South America), The Rugby Channel (USA), DirecTV (Uruguay)

 

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Formally created in June 2015, this website's goal is to increase media exposure of the Tier 2 rugby nations, and create a hub with a focus on the stories of rugby in the Americas - North, Central and South.

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