Argentina Deliver Thunderous Performance against USA at Junior World Championship

Argentina delivered a thunderous performance against the USA at the Junior World Championship. Played early on Saturday morning (Americas time), Los Pumitas completed their biggest ever win at the World Rugby u20 tournament, downing the USA 78-14.

Those in attendance at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi witnessed a team in control; Los Pumitas were 40-0 up at half-time and fell two points short of doubling the total in the second-half. The USA’s scoreless opening half was improved on by two tries in the second-half.

It was an exhibition from the South Americans who were the better team from start to finish. In all, Los Pumitas ran in twelve tries against a USA team with a weak defensive arrangement. Argentina’s scrum was also impressive in the match.

Bautista Benavides opened the scoring. The second-rower crashed over into the try zone from a pick-and-go. Federico Serpa Laporte landed the conversion. It was followed by a series of additional tries as Los Pumitas were able to open up space. Super Rugby Americas players Pedro Coll (Tarucas), Manuel Cuneo Camargo (Capibaras) and Tomás Dande (Tarucas) each scored as did Federico Serpa Laporte himself before another Tarucas try came from Simón Pfister.

The 40-0 half-time advantage was quickly expanded; Benjamín Ordiz went over early before Simón Pfister scored his second try of the contest. Next to score was right winger Bautista Lescano.

The USA then opened their scoring. The Eagles ran in two tries while Los Pumitas were a man down following Nicolás Cambiasso’s yellow card. Back-three players Sialeafuhia Ofa and Gavin Holder both scored for the North Americans. Declan Cadden converted the tries which were scored in the 65th and 70th minutes.

Fullback Simón Pfister hit-back for Los Pumitas; thus completing hat-trick. Outside center Ramón Fernández Miranda and replacement Juan Preumayr also both added tries to complete the scoring.

Both Argentina and the USA will play their second matches of the tournament on Thursday, July 02. Argentina face Ireland at 8:30am (Buenos Aires) while the USA take-on England at 10am (New York). Both matches will be played in Tbilisi.

 

SCORING

ARGENTINA (78)
TRY – B Benavides (3′), P Coll (23′), M Cuneo Camargo (29′), T Dande (35′), F Serpa Laporte (38′), Simon Pfister 3 (40′, 44′, 63′), B Ordiz Yujnovsky (42′), B Lescano (49′), R Fernandez Miranda (75′), J Preumayr (78′)
CON – F Serpa Laporte 7 (4′, 24′, 30′, 36′, 39′, 43′, 45′), M Giannantonio 2 (63′, 79′)
YC – N Cambiasso (56′)

USA (14)
TRY – S Ofa (65′), G Holder (70′)
CON – D Cadden 2 (66′, 71′)
YC – S Huntley (25′)

 

LINE-UPS

ARGENTINA
1 Fabrizio Cebron, 2 Manuel Cuneo Camargo, 3 Bautista Salinas Mallea, 4 Joaquín Pascual Viale, 5 Bautista Benavides, 6 Tomás Dande (capt.), 7 Jerónimo Sorondo, 8 Basilio Cañas, 9 Valentino Reggiardo, 10 Federico Serpa Laporte, 11 Benjamín Ledesma Arocena, 12 Pedro Coll, 13 Ramón Fernández Miranda, 14 Bautista Lescano, 15 Simón Pfister

Replacements: 16 Nicolás Cambiasso, 17 Benjamín Farías Cerioni, 18 Federico Narvaez, 19 Jeremy Annand, 20 Franco Marizza Mizawak, 21 Juan Preumayr, 22 Manuel Giannantonio, 23 Benjamín Ordiz Yujnovsky

USA
1 Oliver Kirk, 2 Sawyer Troupe, 3 Tyler Trower, 4 Pierce Kelly, 5 Lyndon Bailey, 6 Jayden Williams, 7 Yiannis Efthymiopoulos, 8 Papaseea Matelau, 9 Spencer Huntley (capt.), 10 Declan Cadden, 11 Sialeafuhia Ofa, 12 Leo Keesler-Venables, 13 Dane Mitchell, 14 Marco Lapierre, 15 Gavin Holder

Replacements: 16 Aidan Stewart, 17 Colin Donnelly, 18 Alfie Booth, 19 Tanielu Talaepa, 20 Frank Finicle, 21 Liam Hill, 22 Joseph Sarkees, 23 William Darbishire

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

 

ARGENTINA – LARGEST WINS AT JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

 

• Margin: +64
• Scorers: Simon Pfister (3), Bautista Benavides, Pedro Coll, Manuel Cuneo Camargo, Tomás Dande, Federico Serpa Laporte, Benjamín Ordiz Yujnovsky, Bautista Lescano, Ramón Fernández, Juan Preumayr. (Conversions: Federico Serpa Laporte x7, Manuel Giannantonio x2).

• Margin: +41
• Scorers: Tomás Granella (2), Ignacio Larrague, Javier Díaz, Bautista Delguy, Vittorio Rosti. (Conversions: Domingo Miotti x5. Penalties: Domingo Miotti x2).

• Margin: +40
• Scorers: Juan Pedro Bernasconi (2), Benjamín Elizalde, Mateo Fauda, Tomás Di Biase, Ignacio Torrado, Facundo Rodríguez, Agustín Sarelli. (Conversions: Santino Di Lucca x6).

• Margin: +31
• Scorers: Santiago Cordero (2), Facundo Gigena, Tomás Lavanini, Rodrigo Etchart. (Conversions: Patricio Fernández x5. Penalties: Patricio Fernández x3).

• Margin: +30
• Scorers: Martín Elías, Santiago Pulella, Vicente Boronat, Bautista Delguy, Segundo Baldunciel. (Conversions: Martín Elías x3, Domingo Miotti. Penalties: Martín Elías x4, Domingo Miotti x2).

• Margin: +28
• Scorers: Eliseo Chiavassa (2), Mateo Soler, Valentino Minoyetti, Benjamín Elizalde. (Conversions: Valentino Dicapua x3. Penalties: Valentino Dicapua x4).

• Margin: +27
• Scorers: Rodrigo Isgró, Gonzalo García, Ignacio Mendy, Bautista Pedemonte, Jerónimo Gómez Vara. (Conversions: Joaquín de la Vega Mendía x5. Penalties: Joaquín de la Vega Mendía x2).

• Margin: +26
• Scorers: Emiliano Boffelli, Lautaro Bávaro, Felipe Ruesgas, Tomás Granella. (Conversions: Patricio Fernández x3. Penalties: Patricio Fernández x4).