WORLD CUP RUGBY: Repecharge Playoff No.2

17.07.2010
Kazakhstan v Uruguay in Montevideo

Venue: Stadium Charrúa

Referee:

Preview
In this rather lopsided, unequal stage of the Rugby World Cup qualifiers, Kazakhstan, placed second in the Asian Zone, faces Uruguay, who finished third in the Americas. This is a straight knock out game, the winner will play the winner of the other Repecharge match between Tunisia and Romania.

The venue was decided by IRB rankings. Uruguay is higher than Kazakhstan on the list, so Montevideo got the nod.

Kazakhstan arrived in Montevideo without one of their key players, fullback Maxim Lifontov, their Russian-based player. Thankfully their star player Rudoy is with the team. It is a very different Kazakhstan side without those two. Kazakhstan has also left behind a couple of their Russian-based forwards. One of the bench players was left behind due to injury making only 21 players arriving in Montevideo.

It does not look like Kazakhstan's strongest line up. One bright note for Kazakhstan is that they join, for 2010, Uruguay on the World Table of the GWC Rugby Ranking system.

Uruguay, strong favourites even without their home advantage, has recalled 1999 Rugby World Cup finals veteran No.8, 34 year old Brignoni.

It's difficult to see Kazakhstan winning with all the odds heavily weighted against them. A win would be nothing short of a miracle.

This is the first times these two teams have ever met in 15's international rugby.

Other Previews

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/qualifying/news/newsid=2039442.html#four+teams+hunt+final+rwc+place

Kazakhstan will require some super human efforts from star player Anton Rudoy.

GWC Rugby Rankings
Only Uruguay is registered on the world table.
IRB Rankings points-Uruguay 61.21, Kazakhstan 55.38

Prediction: Uruguay by 17 points

Teams

Uruguay
15- Ivo Dugonjic (Pucarú-Stade Galuois)
14- Leandro Leivas (Old Christians)
13- Martín Crosa (Old Boys)
12- Juan De Freitas (Champagnat)
11- Gastón Mieres (Los Lobos Rugby)
10- Emiliano Caffera (Champagnat)
9- Manuel Martínez (Old Christians)
8- Nicolás Brignoni (Oyonnax, France)
7- Alfredo Giuria (Los Cuervos)
6- Mathias Braun (Pucarú-Stade Galuois)
5- Matías Fonseca (Los Cuervos)
4- Diego Magno (Montevideo Cricket Club)
3- Pablo Lemoine (Valence D’Agen, France)
2- Carlos Arboleya, Capt. (Trébol Rugby)
1- Alejo Corral (San Isidro, Argentina)
Replacements
16- Edgardo Benítez (Trébol Rugby)
17- Juan Pedro Rombys (Trébol Rugby)
18- Martin Espiga (Old Christians)
19- Juan Carlos Bado (Valence D’Agen, France)
20- Juan Pablo Horta (Old Christians)
21- Juan Martin Llovet (Old Christians)
22- Santiago Gortari (Old Boys)
Head Coach: Gonzalo Camardón

Adapted from http://www.uru.org.uy/noticias/488/titulares_confirmados

Kazakhstan
15- Sergey Nozhkin
14- Denis Molochniy
13-Alexandr Zakharov (RC Novokuznetsk, Russia)
12-Ildar Abdrazakov (Almaty RFC)
11-Sergey Konev (CSKA Almaty)
10-Daulet Akymbekov (CSKA Almaty)
9-Akhmetzhan Baratov (Almaty RFC)
8-Anton Rudoy (Enisey-STM-Krasnoyarsk)
7-Timur Mashurov, Capt.), (Almaty RFC)
6-Grigoriy Ivanchenko (Almaty RFC)
5-Serik Zhanseitov (CSKA Almaty)
4-Yevgeniy Shekurov (RC Novokuznetsk, Russia)
3-Vladimir Chernykh (RC Novokuznetski, Russia)
2- Arman Mussulmankulov (Almaty RFC)
1-Mikhail Bzhitskih (RC Novokuznetski, Russia)
Replacements
16-Azatto Abishev (Almaty RFC)
17-Sergey Menshikov (Almaty RFC)
18- Tairzhan Arzhev
19- Evgeniy Sheshin (RC Novokuznetsk, Russia)
20-Roman Sorokodzyuba (RC Novokuznetsk, Russia)
21-Ilya Poplavskiy (RC Novokuznetsk, Russia)
22- Evgeny Zabaiyakin –Injured and did not arrive
Head Coach: Evgeny Zuev

Adapted from http://www.uru.org.uy/noticias/488/titulares_confirmados. Club affiliations, records of http://www.rugbyinternational.net/