ARGENTINA 36, URUGUAY 14: CONSUR CUP

16.05.2015

Argentina, holder of the CONSUR Cup, has two challengers this year. Uruguay finished 1st and Paraguay 2nd in last years CONSUR A so they have the right to challenge Argentina.

Argentina are not fielding any of their overseas professionals in these challenge matches. In fact the team that takes on Paraguay in Asuncion next weekend will be completely different to the one that was fielded today. And , it is reported, a third squad will take on the Fiji Warriors, their ‘A’ team. in two weeks time.

TEST RUGBY RESULTS SATURDAY-SUNDAY 24-25 MAY

25.04.2014
Japan 49, Hong Kong 8 in Tokyo (Asia Five Nations)
Argentina 73, Chile 12 in Santiago (CONSUR Cup)

24.05.2014
Korea 52, Philippines 22 in Makati (Asia Five Nations)
Russia 31,Germany 20 in Hamburg (WCQ Europe R5 Playoff)
Trinidad & Tobago 34, Barbados 5 in Port of Spain (Carib. Champ., Sth League)
Swaziland 15, Lesotho 0 in Maruso (Friendly)

TEST RUGBY THIS SATURDAY

24.05.2014
Korea v Philippines in Makati (Asia Five Nations)
Chile v Argentina in Santiago (CONSUR Cup)
Germany v Russia in Hamburg (WCQ Europe R5 Playoff)
Trinidad & Tobago v Barbados in Port of Spain (Caribb. Champ., South League)
Swaziland v Lesotho in Maruso (Friendly)

Briefly
There will be an interesting battle between Korea and Philippines. Whilst the Philippines defeated Sri Lanka away by one point last weekend, and as a result they would have grounds for some optimism, it would be a brave soul to not predict a Korean win.

At steak is a place in the 2015 Asian Elite rugby competition which will feature and home-away series involving Asia three top teams. At the moment Japan is No.1 followed by Hong Kong. Korea is favoured to be the third nation. The game be a close encounter in stages but I just can’t see the Philippines overpowering the Koreans.

Prediction: Korea by 20 points.

Argentina should not experiences any scary moments in their game against Chile. The Chileans have not performed well in 2014 and although playing away from home the Jaguars (well in effect Argentina ‘A’) should have no problems.

Prediction: Argentina by 35 points

The Germany-Russia clash is covered elsewhere on this blog.

Barbados lost 19-48 to Guyana at home last weekend and now have to travel to Trindad for a showdown with the local side. Last year they lost this game at home 6-19 so it will be an uphill struggle for the Barbadians.

Prediction: Trinidad and Tobago by 26 points.

Will it be played? After a number of postponnements, the match awaited Lesotho-Swaziland return game should be played today in Maruso. I’d expect the home side to win a good struggle.

Prediction: Swaziland by 10 points.

TEST RUGBY RESULTS THIS WEEKEND

17.05.2014
Japan 62, Korea 5 in Incheon (Asia Five Nations)
Philippines 26, Sri Lanka 25 in Colombo (Asia Five Nations)
Argentina 65, Uruguay 9 in Paysandú (CONSUR Cup)
Cyprus 46, Hungary 13 in Paphos (ENC 2C)
Guyana 48, Barbados 19 in St Michael (Caribbean Champ.,Div.1, South)
St Vincent & Grenadines 24, British Virgin Islands 22 in Tortola (Caribb.Champ.,Div.2, South)
Jamaica 10, Turks and Caicos Islands 6 in Providencia (Caribb.Champ., Div.2, North)

CONSUR CUP

17.05.2014
Uruguay v Argentina in Montevideo (CONSUR Cup)

Preview
The newest version of the South American rugby competition/championship gets underway in Montevideo. Chile and Uruguay qualified to play in the 2014 CONSUR Cup competition due to their first and second placing in last year’s CONSUR A competition. The top two teams from this year’s South American Championship, Uruguay and Paraguay, will compete in the CONSUR Cup (against Argentina of course) in 2015.

If you are thinking this is the top Argentine team well think again. Whilst it might not be the fourth (or was it third?) strongest team as per 2013 and before, it certainly does not include any name players plying their rugby trade in Europe. This team is almost wholly Argentina based.

Uruguay would be the only team, on 2014 form, that will come close to Argentina and they may give their cousins from across the River Plate a fright in the first half but I’d expect the ‘home’ Argies to be too strong at the finish.

Prediction: Argentina by 20 points.

Note: Although only a few of these Argentine players will make it to the June tests and the ‘Rugby Championship’ Argentina will honour them with test caps.

Squads

Argentina

N°	NOMBRE Y APELLIDO	CLUB	UNION
1	Antonio Ahualli de Chazal	SIC	URBA
2	Lisandro Ahualli de Chazal	Universitario	Tucumán
3	Matías Alemanno	La Tablada	Cordobesa
4	Gabriel Ascárate	Natación y Gimnasia	Tucumán
5	Rodrigo Báez	Liceo RC	Cuyo
6	Tomás Carrió	Duendes RC	Rosario
7	Santiago Cordero	Regatas Bella Vista	URBA
8	Matías Cortese	Liceo RC	Cuyo
9	Tomás Cubelli	Belgrano Athletic	URBA
10	De la Fuente Jerónimo	Duendes RC	Rosario
11	Felipe Ezcurra	Hindú Club	URBA
12	Santiago González Iglesias	Asociación Alumni	URBA
13	Santiago Iglesias Valdez	Universitario	Tucumán
14	Tomás Lavanini	Hindú Club	URBA
15	Manuel Montero	Pucará	URBA
16	Julián Montoya	Club Newman	URBA
17	Ramiro Moyano	Lince RC	Tucumán
18	Lucas Noguera Paz	Lince RC	Tucumán
19	Matías Orlando	Huirapuca	Tucumán
20	Javier Ortega Desio	Estudiantes de Paraná	Entrerriana
21	Lucas Ponce	CUBA	URBA
22	Bruno Postiglioni	La Plata RC	URBA
23	Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro	La Plata RC	URBA

Adapted from and thanks to http://www.consur.org/index.php/torneos/consur-cup/item/2023-plantel-de-los-pumas-para-enfrentar-a-uruguay

Uruguay

El plantel de Los Teros

1.- Nicolás Klappenbach, 2.- Arturo Avalo, 3.- Oscar Durán, 4.- Francisco Jiménez, 5.- Rodolfo De Mula, 6.- Juan Echeverría, 7.- Cristofer Soares De Lima, 8.- Mathías Palomeque, 9.- Santiago Vilaseca 10.- Alejandro Nieto, 11.- Juan Manuel Gaminara, 12.- Diego Magno, 13.- Mathías Braun, 14.- Gabriel Puig, 15.- Francisco Vecino, 16.- Guillermo Lijtenstein, 17.- Rodrigo Silva, 18.- Joaquín Prada, 19.- Juan De Freitas, 20.- Alberto Román, 21.- Leandro Leivas, 22.- Santiago Gibernau, 23.- Gastón Mieres.

HEAD COACH: Pablo Lemoine

Thanks to http://www.consur.org/index.php/torneos/consur-cup/item/2028-plantel-de-los-teros-para-enfrentar-a-los-pumas

TEST RUGBY THIS WEEKEND: Saturday 17 May

17.05.2014
Japan v Korea in Incheon (Asia Five Nations)
Sri Lanka v Philippines in Colombo (Asia Five Nations)
Uruguay v Argentina in Montevideo (CONSUR Cup)
Cyprus v Hungary in Paphos (ENC 2C)
Barbados v Guyana in St Michael (Caribbean Champ.,Div.1, South)
British Virgin Is. v St Vincent & Gren. in Tortola (Caribb.Champ.,Div.2, South)
Turks & Caicos Islands v Jamaica in Providencia (Caribb.Champ., Div.2, North)

TEST RUGBY THIS WEEK 23-26 APRIL

23.04.2014
Singapore v United Arab Emirates in Dubai (Asia Nations Division 1)

26.04.2014
Hong Kong v Philippines in Hong Kong (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Korea v Sri Lanka in Seoul (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Paraguay v Uruguay in Asuncion (South American Championship)
Brazil v Chile in Barueri (South American Championship)
Ukraine v Poland in Lvov (WCQ Europe R4; ENC 1B)
Czech Republic v Moldova in Prague (WCQ Europe R4; ENC 1B)
Sweden v Germany in Stockholm (WCQ Europe R4; ENC 1B)
Lithuania v Switzerland in Lithuania (ENC 2A)
Latvia v Israel in Riga (ENC 2B)
Bulgaria v Cyprus in Sofia (ENC 2C)
Greece v Luxembourg in Thessalonika (ENC 2D)

Briefly
Phew! What a banquet of test rugby this weekend!

Whilst the emphasis of test rugby this weekend is still in Europe the international game spreads its wings in Asia and South America.

In Asia the final showdown that will determine the top Asia place at the 2015 Rugby World Cup finals begins with games in Seoul and Hong Kong. The second-placed team in the Asia 5 Nations will qualify for the arduous repechage round.

Also in Asia the Division 1 competition gets underway. For the first time this level of competition sees a home/away format rather than the one venue tournament.

The new format for CONSUR senior men’s rugby (it’s similar to the 2011 format) sees Paraguay, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay play for the two top places. These two teams qualify for the CONSUR Cup of 2015. The CONSUR Cup for 2014 will later be played between Argentina and the two other top teams from the 2013 CONSUR Cup, Uruguay and Chile.

In the European Nations Cup fixtures this weekend the final matches in the World Cup qualifying 1B division should keep us on the edge of our seats.

Germany and Moldova are the only teams in the hunt for a place in the ENC 1A 2014-16 competition. Germany has slightly more than a toe in that door with a better points difference and a first round win over Moldova. Germany has the more difficult team to play (Sweden) whilst Moldova faces the Czech Republic who are well out of this competition and will be relegated. Both Germany and Moldova play away. Neither team can afford not to score a bonus point victory. Everything is at stake. Can’t wait!

Of the other ENC games only the Greece-Luxembourg Division 2D game has major significance. This competition was wide-open until last weekend.Bosnia’s 43-0 win over Norway changed the complexion somewhat and they are now the team to chase. The pressure is on both Greece and Luxembourg to secure a bonus point win.

Did I say briefly?