USA v URUGUAY WCQ AMERICA’S PLAYOFF 2nd LEG

29.03.2014

Venue: Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw, Atlanta, Georgia

Referee: Greg Garner (England)

Preview
The general feeling from media last weekend was that the USA should win comfortably against Uruguay in Montevideo. How wrong they all were including me. The USA put up one of it’s least memorably displays of rugby, especially in the first half. It is highly unlikely that they will put in such an ordinary display again but that doubt has certainly given Uruguay some hope of making the America’s No.2 World Cup Finals spot.

History is against Uruguay playing away especially in the USA. They have never won there. The scores are tied 0-0 on aggregate so a win by either side will see them into the World Cup Finals in 2015.

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table: USA 14th, Uruguay 15th

IRB Ranking Points
USA 67.04, Uruguay 62.58

Prediction: USA by 9 points

TEAMS



Men's Eagles | v Uruguay
1. Olive Kilifi
2. Phil Thiel
3. Eric Fry
4. Louis Stanfill
5. Samu Manoa
6. Todd Clever (C)
7. Scott LaValla
8. Cam Dolan
9. Mike Petri
10. Toby L'Estrange
11. Luke Hume
12. Andrew Suniula
13. Seamus Kelly
14. Blaine Scully
15. Chris Wyles

Men's Eagles | Reserves
16. Tom Coolican
17. Nick Wallace
18. Titi Lamositele
19. Tai Tuisamoa
20. Kyle Sumsion
21. Shalom Suniula
22. Tim Maupin
23. Folau Niua

---

Uruguay
1. Aleja Corral
2. Arturo Avalo (C)
3. Oscar Duran
4. Santiago Vilaseca
5. Mathias Palomeque
6. Juan Manuel Gaminara
7. Diego Magno
8. Alejandro Nieto
9. Agustin Ormaechea
10. Felipe Berchesi
11. Jeronimo Etcheverry
12. Andres Vilaseca
13. Joaquin Prada
14. Leandro Leivas
15. Gaston Mieres

Uruguay | Reserves
16. Cristofer Soares de Lima
17. Rodolfo de Mula
18. Mario Sagario Cagnani
19. Carlos Pombo
20. Franco Lammana
21. Juan de Freitas Turcatti
22. Alejo Duran
23. Francisco Bulanti

Above team lists from http://usarugby.org/mens-eagles-news/item/roster-named-for-rwc-2015-qualifier-in-atlanta

POLAND SQUAD v MOLDOVA 05/04/2014

Poland Training Squad to prepare for Rugby Test v Moldova 05.04.2014

Craig Bachurzewski (Glasgow Hawks, Scotland)
Dawid Banaszek (Arka Gdynia)
Mateusz Bartoszek (Glasgow Hawks, Scotland)
Kamil Bobryk (CS Vienne, France)
Adrian Chróściel (Pogoń Siedlce)
Tomasz Gasik (Pogoń Siedlce)
Rafał Janeczko (Lechia Gdańsk)
Grzegorz Janiec (CASE Rugby St. Etienne, France)
Piotr Jurkowski (Orkan)
Sławomir Kaszuba (Lechia Gdańsk)
Emil Kowalewski (Budowlani SA Łódź)
Rafał Kwiatkowski (Arka Gdynia)
Robert Kwiatkowski (Lechia Gdańsk)
Dawid Lorentowicz (Lechia Gdańsk)
Cyprian Majcher (Lechia Gdańsk)
Michał Mirosz (Budowlani SA Łódź)
Stanisław Niedźwiedzki (Budowlani  Lublin)
Robert Pawelec (Pogoń Siedlce)
Karol Perzak (Arka Gdynia)
Marek Płonka (Lechia Gdańsk)
Radosław Rakowski (Arka Gdynia)
Tomasz Rokicki (Lechia Gdańsk)
Rafał Szrejber (Arka Gdynia)
Łukasz Szostek (Arka Gdynia)
Mariusz Wilczuk (Lechia Gdańsk)
Rafał Witoszyński (Lechia Gdańsk)

Reserves
Szypura Bartosz (Posnania)
Adrian Ignaczak (Budowlani SA Łódź)
Sebastian Łuczak (Budowlani SA Łódź)
Marek Przychodzki (ogniwo)
Piotr Psuj (Pogoń Siedlce)
Szymon Sirocki (Arka Gdynia)
Michał Wierzejski (Pogoń Siedlce)
Łukasz Żórawski (Budowlani SA Łódź)

Head Coach: Tomasz Putra

Adapted from http://pzrugby.pl/?p=11179

URUGUAY 27, UNITED STATES 27

This was a very per performance by the USA team in the first leg America’s Playoff. Uruguay were always going to be tough at home. They will find the USA a stronger side at home in Atlanta this Saturday.

UNITED STATES v URUGUAY: World Cup Qualifier Americas Playoff 1st Leg

22.03.2013

Venue: Estadio Charrua, Montevideo

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Preview
History is against Uruguay making it into the Rugby World Cup finals as Americas 2 team. Even if the USA stutter in Montevideo and drop the first leg the odds against Uruguay winning in the USA a very steep.

Last Five Encounters
21.11.2009 USA 27-9 in Lauderhill (WCQ Americas R2, Playoff, 2nd leg)
14.11.2009 USA 27-22 in Montevideo (WCQ Americas R2, Playoff, 1st Leg)
08.11.2008 USA 43-9 in Salt Lake City
07.10.2006 USA 33-7 in Stanford (WCQ Americas, repechage 2nd leg)
01.10.2006 USA 42-13 in Montevideo (WCQ Americas, repechage 1st leg)

Uruguay last defeated the USA in 2002, winning 10-9 in Montevideo in a World Cup qualifying game. These two teams first met in 1998 in Buenos Aires an a World Cup qualifying tournament. The USA won 21-16. The 2002 win was Uruguay’s only success v USA to date.

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table: USA 14th, Uruguay 22nd

IRB Ranking Points
USA 66.61, Uruguay 60.77

Prediction: The USA wont have it all their own way for the first hour. After that I’d expect more experience and better fitness to see the USA win fairly comfortably. USA by 13 points.

TEAMS

Uruguay
1 Alejo Corral
2 Arturo Avalo (c)
3 Oscar Durán
4 Mathias Palomeque
5 Santiago Vilaseca
6 Juan Gaminara
7 Diego Magno
8 Alejandro Nieto
9 Agustín Ormaechea
10 Felipe Berchesi
11 Jerónimo Etcheverry
12 Andrés Vilaseca
13 Joaquín Prada
14 Leandro Leivas
15 Gastón Mieres

16 Nicolás Klappenbach
17 Rodolfo De Mula
18 Mario Sagario
19 Cristofer Soares De Lima
20 Franco Lamanna
21 Juan De Freitas
22 Alejo Durán
23 Francisco Bulanti

United States
1 Olive Kilifi
2 Phil Thiel
3 Eric Fry
4 Hayden Smith
5 Samu Manoa
6 Todd Clever (c)
7 Scott LaValla
8 Cameron Dolan
9 Mike Petri
10 Toby L'Estrange
11 Tim Maupin
12 Andrew Suniula
13 Folau Niua
14 Blaine Scully
15 Chris Wyles

16 Tom Coolican
17 Nicholas Wallace
18 Titi Lamositele
19 Louis Stanfill
20 Kyle Sumsion
21 Shalom Suniula
22 Seamus Kelly
23 Luke Hume

Both teams from http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4515&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=30

6 NATIONS 2014 WRAP UP

15.03.2014
England 52, Italy 11 in Rome (6 Nations)
Wales 51, Scotland 3 in Cardiff (6 Nations)
Ireland 22, France 20 in Paris (6 Nations)

Review

	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	PT
IRELAND	5	4	0	1	122	49	83	8
ENGLAND	5	4	0	1	138	65	73	8
FRANCE	5	3	0	2	101	100	1	6
WALES	5	3	0	2	122	79	43	6
SCOTLAND	5	1	1	4	47	138	-91	2
ITALY	5	0	0	5	63	172	-109	0

Ireland secured (just!) the 2014 6 Nations International Championship title and sent veteran and Irish rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll the perfect send off. (He was also named man-of-the-match).

England and Wales won their games easily. England had already won the Triple Crown which is played between the ‘home’ unions, England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

Next week the focus swings to the America’s where the United States and Uruguay playoff for the America’s 2 spot at the 2015 Rugby World Cup Finals.

WCQ EUROPE R5; ENC 1A 15 MARCH

15.03.2014
Georgia 22, Romania 9 in Tiblisi (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A; Antim Cup)
Spain 28, Portugal 24 in Lisbon (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)
Russia 34, Belgium 20 in Brussels (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)

Review

2012-2014 CHAMPIONSHIP RELEGATION & WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
GEORGIA	10	9	1	0	286	106	180	3	0	41
ROMANIA	10	8	1	1	242	106	136	4	0	38
RUSSIA	10	6	0	4	219	249	-30	2	2	28
SPAIN	10	2	2	6	159	243	-84	1	2	15
PORTUGAL	10	2	1	7	145	222	-77	0	2	12
BELGIUM	10	0	1	9	134	259	-125	2	2	6

2014 CHAMPIONSHIP
	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	BT	BL	PT
GEORGIA	5	5	0	0	151	45	106	2	0	22
ROMANIA	5	4	0	1	128	41	87	3	0	19
RUSSIA	5	3	0	2	109	133	-24	2	0	14
SPAIN	5	2	0	3	87	114	-27	1	1	10
PORTUGAL	5	1	0	4	70	126	-56	0	1	5
BELGIUM	5	0	0	5	42	128	-86	0	1	1

Romania were outplayed in Tbilisi by Georgia. Georgia wins the 2014 European Nations Cup, wins the overall WCQ Europe R5 and thus joins the same pool as New Zealand at the 2015 Rugby World Cup finals.

Spain came from 21-6 behind to win against Portugal in Lisbon whilst Russia won comfortably against Belgium. Belgium is relegated to ENC 1B for 2014-2016.

6 NATIONS TEST RUGBY: Ireland v France

Venue: Stade de France, Paris

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Preview
Ireland only has to win to clearly take the 6 Nations Championship. A win to France would then mean France and England (and Ireland) of course have mathematical opportunities to win the title. For Ireland to win history is against them.

Ireland have won only once on Paris in the last 40 odd years. That was in 2000. In their last two outings Ireland have drawn with France. So for Ireland things are, statistically, looking up.

From the starting line ups one would give the nod to Ireland. They have more experience and more performance consistency. France has been at sixes and sevens and have lacked consistency and try scoring ability.

It would a fitting farewell to Irish rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll for a win in Paris and a 6 Nations title to end his long career.

But it would be foolish to right off the French, especially at home and especially with their backs to the wall.

Last Five Encounters
09.03.2013 Drawn 13-13 in Dublin (6 Nations)
04.03.2013 Drawn 17-17 in Paris (6 Nations)
20.08.2011 France 26-22 in Dublin (World Cup Warm Up)
13.08.2011 France 19-12 in Bordeaux (World Cup Warm Up)
13.02.2011 France 25-22 in Dublin (6 Nations)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table: Ireland 5th, France 7th
Europe Table: Ireland 2nd, France 4th

IRB Ranking Points
France 81.44, Ireland 80.76

Prediction: Ireland to hold composure under intense pressure and win by 1 point

Teams

Ireland

15		Robert Kearney	Leinster
14		Andrew Trimble	Ulster
13		Brian O'Driscoll	Leinster
12		Gordon D'Arcy	Leinster
11		David Kearney	Leinster
10		Jonathan Sexton	Racing-Metro 92, France
9		Conor Murray	Munster
8		James Heaslip	Leinster
7		Christopher Henry	Ulster
6		Peter O'Mahony	Munster
5		Paul O'Connell	Munster
4		Devin Toner	Leinster
3		Michael Ross	Leinster
2		Rory Best	Ulster
1		Cian Healy	Leinster
16		Sean Cronin	Leinster
17		Jack McGrath	Leinster
18		Martin Moore	Leinster
19		Iain Henderson	Ulster
20		Jordi Murphy	Leinster
21		Eoin Reddan	Leinster
22		Ian Madigan	Leinster
23		Fergus McFadden	Leinster
		HEAD COACH: Joseph Schmidt

France

15		Brice Dulin	Castres Olympique
14		Yoann Huget	Aviron Bayonnais
13		Mathieu Bastareaud	RC Toulonnais
12		Gael Fickou	Stade Toulousain
11		Maxime Médard	Stade Toulousain
10		Remi Tálès	Castres Olympique
9		Maxime Machenaud	Racing-Metro 92
8		Damien Chouly	ASM Clermont Auvergne
7		Alexandre Lapandry	ASM Clermont Auvergne
6		Louis Picamoles	Stade Toulousain
5		Yoann Maestri	Stade Toulousain
4		Pascal Pape (Capt.)	Stade Français
3		Nicolas Mas	US Arlequins Perpignan
2		Dimitri Szarzewski	Racing-Metro 92
1		Thomas Domingo	ASM Clermont Auvergne
16		Guilhem Guirado	US Arlequins Perpignan
17		Vincent Debaty	ASM Clermont Auvergne
18		Rabah Slimani	Stade Français
19		Alexandre Flanquart	Stade Français
20		Sébastien Vahaamahina	US Arlequins Perpignan
21		Wenceslas Lauret	Racing-Metro 92
22		Jean-Marc Doussain	Stade Toulousain
23		Maxime Mermoz	RC Toulonnais
		HEAD COACH: Philippe Saint-André