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It was an historic night in Seattle on Saturday but probably one the Eagles would like to forget. Uruguay stunned the USA by a score of 32-25 to secure their first ever win on US soil. In the wake of the ‘World League‘ controversy that came to light this week, the result was a poignant reminder that the so-called ‘minnows’ should be afforded greater respect.
The match was full bore almost from the kickoff. Federico Favaro’s penalty attempt from beyond halfway rang off the crossbar with less than two minutes on the clock. Los Teros remained in the driving seat, however, and after a Juan Rombys offload put Diego Magno clean through the line, the pressure stayed on until Mateo Sanguinetti caught the ruck defense off-guard to score the first try. Favaro took the easy conversion and it was 7-0 to the visitors.
To their credit the Eagles came roaring back. From an attacking lineout the maul was slowed but Joe Taufete’e peeled around the blindside and rumbled over for his 16th international try, in doing so passing Keith Wood’s record for the most by a front rower in test rugby. Shortly after Wood’s record for tries by a hooker also fell as the maul worked its magic with Taufete’e at the back for his second try of the match.
Los Teros had the edge at the scrum and it gained them valuable field position. Favaro’s second penalty attempt soared past the uprights but the winger made amends by screaming onto a pass from Juan Manuel Cat after the Eagles had led a high ball bounce off the turf. The conversion again hit the uprights but Uruguay had retaken the lead.
It wouldn’t hold for more than a couple minutes as Will Hooley connected on a penalty attempt. The lead would change for a fifth time, however, just before halftime as Cat dummied the defense and sliced through the middle to slide in untouched. Andrés Vilaseca took over the kicking duties and duly slotted the conversion for a 19-13 lead at the intermission.
Not two minutes after the restart Los Teros struck again. Quick phase play put the USA on the back food and again Cat found a gap, this time hauled down just inches short of the line. The ball was recycled quickly and Favaro was left free on the right side to dive in for a double.
Down by nine points the USA needed some inspiration and it was none other than Taufete’e who delivered. The Worcester hooker hit Nick Civetta in the lineout and when the initial drive was scuppered Taufete’e bolted around the left side to power over for his first career hat trick. Hooley somehow pulled the routine conversion past the uprights leaving the Eagles still six points adrift.
The USA had repeatedly tried to put the ball in behind the Uruguayan defense but the tactic did not pay off, and panic really set in with 15 minutes to play when Gastón Mieres read the play to perfection. After stepping past the first defender, Mieres found Joaquín Prada on his outside and the veteran picked a smart line, drifting just out of reach of the cover and sucking in the last defender to put Nicolás Freitas away for a 45 meter run-in.
With the Eagles now desperate as the clock ticked away, Juan Manuel Gaminara was sent to the bin for team infringements. Despite losing their captain Uruguay’s defense stood strong until Hanco Germishuys blasted his way through four defenders down the left sideline. He was eventually stopped but the overlap was now on the right and so was Blaine Scully, the Eagles captain waiting patiently for the final pass that would come from Cam Dolan. Will Magie took over the kicking duty and landed the conversion to make for the grandstand finish.
The comeback desired by the Seattle faithful, however, never emerged. Uruguay kept the Eagles pinned in their own end and eventually a penalty was conceded. With time expired Vilaseca called for the kicking tee and sent the ball sailing through the uprights to cap one of Uruguay’s greatest victories.
Uruguay’s bonus-point win vaults them into second place on the table and now points them in prime position to earn a fourth win in the Americas Rugby Championship for the first time as they host Brazil in Montevideo next Saturday. The USA will stay in the Seattle and lament what has been an immensely disappointing tournament for them, with their final confrontation against Canada on Friday.
SCORING
USA 25
Tries – J. Taufete’e 3 (9′, 15′, 47′), B. Scully (73′)
Cons – W. Hooley 0/3, W. Magie 1/1 (74′)
Pens – W. Hooley 1/1 (33′)
URUGUAY 32
Tries – M. Sanguinetti (5′), F. Favaro 2 (29′, 42′), J. Cat (37′), N. Freitas (66′)
Cons – F. Favaro 1/2 (6′), A. Vilaseca 1/3 (38′)
Pens – F. Favaro 0/2, A. Vilaseca 1/1 (80′)
Yellow cards – J. Gaminara (71’)
TEAMS
USA
1 David Ainu’u (17 Olive Kilifi 75’), 2 Joe Taufete’e, 3 Paul Mullen (18 Dino Waldren 75’), 4 Nate Brakeley (19 Ben Landry 60’), 5 Nick Civetta, 6 David Tameilau (20 John Quill 58’), 7 Hanco Germishuys, 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Ruben de Haas, 10 Will Magie, 11 Marcel Brache, 12 Paul Lasike, 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Blaine Scully (capt.), 15 Will Hooley (22 Dylan Audsley 65’)
Not used: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 21 Nick Boyer, 23 Gannon Moore
URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti (17 Juan Echeverría 65’), 2 Germán Kessler (16 Facundo Gattas 65’), 3 Juan Rombys (18 Mario Sagario 56’), 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Diego Magno (20 Leandro Segredo 65’), 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt.), 7 Juan Diego Ormaechea (19 Franco Lamanna 61’), 8 Alejandro Nieto, 9 Santiago Arata (21 Tomás Inciarte 75’), 10 Juan Manuel Cat, 11 Nicolás Freitas, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Joaquín Prada, 14 Federico Favaro, 15 Gastón Mieres
Not used: 22 Manuel Blengio, 23 Agustín Della Corte
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Pali Deluca (UAR)
Assistants: Phil Akroyd (USAR) & Josh Houston (USAR)
TMO: Davey Ardey (USAR)
