Kingsley Jones' Canada humbled at home in RWC2019 qualifier
After losing at home to Uruguay in the first leg of their crucial Rugby World Cup Americas 2 qualifying match, Canada stand on the brink of needing a repechage tournament to gain entry to the game's greatest showpiece event.
Uruguay will take a nine-point advantage into the decisive second leg of the two game series after winning a pulsating match against the Canucks 38-29 in Vancouver last night.
With Uruguay holding an advantage on the scoreboard and venue in Montevideo on 3 February, Canada will need to produce a magnificent performance if they are to avoid negotiating the Repechage tournament later this year.
With the World Rugby Rankings suggesting little to choose between the two sides before the match, a compelling encounter delivered great skill, drama and intensity as Uruguay defended heroically and took their chances well.
A breathless first half delivered five tries with Uruguay scoring three to lead 21-17.
The visitors took less than a minute to get on the scoreboard as livewire full back Rodrigo Silva cut through the Canada defence to score an excellent try, but tries from flanker Evan Olmstead and DTH van der Merwe looked to have given Canada a solid lead.
The Canadian pressure was relentless, but Uruguay were patient and clinical as first Leandro Leivas finished an excellent team try, before Santiago Arata darted from a ruck to score between the posts.
Canada hit back immediately after the interval when they were awarded a penalty try as Uruguay pulled down a rapidly-advancing maul, which resulted in a yellow card for German Kessler.
Down to 14 players, Uruguay responded superbly, with second row Ignacio Dotti showing a great turn of pace to power over in the corner, before Rodrigo Capo Ortega’s converted try gave the visitors an 11-point lead.
With 10 minutes left to play, Canada threw everything at Uruguay and hit back through centre Nick Blevins, but Felipe Berchesi, extended Uruguay’s lead to nine points with a penalty and Canada could not find a way back.
With the winner on aggregate over the two legs qualifying as Americas 2 into Pool D alongside Australia, Wales, Georgia and Fiji, Uruguay will have home advantage on 3 February.
Los Teros also top the Americas Rugby Championship 2018 standings as the match doubled as the opener to the Americas’ premier competition.
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Agreed. As a Saffa I have much respect for the ABs. I also have to say given any option I would ONLY prefer to lose to ABs. To lose to England is probably the most embarrassing think to happen to either of us.
There was a time when both of us lost to England and we both hated it. Thankfully those days are behind us. Kudos to you guys, kudos to ABs. But dear old BS seems to hate us Boks. No idea why.
Go to commentsI got the sense that holding him to it was kickback from SB and the rfu smarting at being jilted quite so soon, so unexpectedly and so publicly.
Seem to remember that they spoke to Gustard before appointing Joe and you really have to think he would have come in at a higher level?
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