TEST RUGBY RESULTS: Saturday 10 May. Updated 14/05

10.05.2014
Japan 132, Sri Lanka 10 in Nagoya (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Hong Kong 39, Korea 6 in Hong Kong (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Paraguay 31, Brazil 24 in Asuncion (South American Championship)
Uruguay 56, Chile 13 in Montevideo (South American Championship)
USA South 33, Bermuda 6 in Marietta (NACRA Division 1; North)
Kazakhstan 37, Chinese Taipei 8 in Hong Kong (Asia Nations Division 1)
Norway 45, Greece 23 in Bergen (ENC 2D)
Luxembourg 27, Finland 7 in Luxembourg (ENC 2D)
Curacao 56, St Lucia 7 in Willemstad (NACRA Division 2, South)

TEST RUGBY THIS WEEKEND

10.05.2014
Japan v Sri Lanka in Nagoya (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Korea v Hong Kong in Hong Kong (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Paraguay v Brazil in Asuncion (South American Championship)
Uruguay v Chile in Montevideo (South American Championship)
USA South v Bermuda in ? (NACRA Division 1; North)
Kazakhstan v Chinese Taipei in Hong Kong (Asia Nations Division 1)
Norway v Greece in Bergen (ENC 2D)
Finland v Luxembourg (ENC 2D)
Curacao v St Lucia in ? (NACRA Division 2, South)

TEST RUGBY RESULTS 3 MAY

03.05.2014
Japan 99, Philippines 10 in Makatai (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Hong Kong 41, Sri Lanka 10 in Colombo (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Uruguay 34, Brazil 9 in Bento Goncalves (Sth America Championship)
Chile 22, Paraguay 18 in Conception (Sth America Championship)
Latvia 16, Denmark 9 in Odense (ENC 2B)
Austria 20, Slovenia 8 in Vienna (ENC 2C)
Cayman Islands v Bahamas in Freeport (Friendly)-To be played

SOUTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP

03.05.2014
Brazil v Uruguay in Bento Goncalves (South America Championship)
Chile v Paraguay in Chile (South America Championship)

Previews
The Brazil-Uruguay clash has mouth watering prospects. To be fair to Brazil another upset victory in this competition is unlikely against Uruguay. The Uruguayans will be just too fit, skilled and organised. I’d expect Brazil to give them a torrid first half until Uruguay’s condition outlasts their northern neighbours.

‘The match will be at Estádio da Montanha, in Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, for 6.000 people. ‘
Thanks to ‘victorsra’ at http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4262&start=285

Chile will be a far more experienced and wiser outfit when they take on the visiting Paraguayans. I expect their line up will be a more experienced.

Predictions
Uruguay by 25 v Brazil
Chile by 60 v Paraguay

Teams

Brazil

15 Guilherme Coghetto (Farrapos), 14 Lucas Tranquez "Zé" (SPAC), 13 João Neto "Torosso" (SPAC), 12 Pedro Lopes (São José), 11 André Nascimento "Boy" (SPAC), 10 Leandro Castiglione "Leco" (SPAC), 9 Bruno Garcia (São José), 8 Julio Mendonça "Cocasso" (SPAC), 7 Matheus Daniel "Matias" (Jacareí), 6 Diego Lopez (Pasteur), 5 Diego Pietrobon "Banana" (Charrua), 4 Luiz Vieira "Monstro" (Grenoble, França), 3 Lucas Abud (SPAC), 2 Nelson Oliveira (São José), 1 Moisés Cavalleri "Monte" (Farrapos).

Suplentes: Daniel Denielewicz "Nativo" (Desterro), 17 Jardel Vettorato (Brummers), 18 Lucas Piero "Bruxinho" (Desterro), 19 Jonatas Paulo "Chabal" (Band Saracens), 20 Pedro di Pilla (Pasteur), 21 Alexandre Browne "Sandy" (São José), 22 Martin Schaefer (SPAC), 23 João Luiz da Ros "Ige" (Desterro).

Treinador: Brent Frew

Uruguay Squad

1 – Carlos Arboleya
2 – Matías Arocena
3 – Matías Beer
4 – Alejo Corral
5 – Pedro Deal
6 – Juan De Freitas
7 – Alejo Durán
8 – Juan Echeverría
9 – Nicolás Freitas
10 – Gastón Gibernau
11 – Santiago Gibernau
12 – Francisco Giménez
13 – Franco Lamanna
14 – Diego Magno
15 – Gastón Mieres
16 – Alejandro Nieto
17 – Mathías Palomeque
18 – Joaquín Prada
19 – Gabriel Puig
20 – Mateo Sanguinetti
21 – Rodrigo Silva
22 – Cristofer Soares De Lima
23 – Rodolfo De Mula

Squads of Chile and Paraguay not available

 

TEST RUGBY THIS WEEKEND: Saturday 3 May

03.05.2014
Japan v Philippines in Makatai (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Sri Lanka v Hong Kong in Colombo (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
Brazil v Uruguay in Bento Goncalves (Sth America Championship)
Chile v Paraguay in Chile (Sth America Championship)
Latvia v Denmark in Odense (ENC 2B)
Austria v Slovenia in Vienna (ENC 2C)

Briefly
The second round of the Asia Five Nations and World Cup Asia qualifies sees the Philippines up against Japan whilst Hong Kong travels to Sri Lanka. There should be no surprises here. The Philippines were thumped by 100+ points by Hong Kong last week and they will find Japan even tougher despite the game being at home. Sri Lanka found Korea too away and will find the visitors just as tough at home.

Brazil created rugby history last weekend by defeating Chile for the first time. This sets up and interesting encounter with Uruguay, a game I will feature this weekend.

Paraguay will find Chile a tough prospect away. They played well to hold Uruguay at home but I expect Chile to bounce back.

In the European Nations Cup this weekend two matches are being played and will be featured.

In Division 2B the winner and second place has been decided. Denmark will need a bonus point victory over Latvia at home to avoid a relegation match. On form Latvia should win.

In ENC Division C Slovenia takes on Austria in Vienna. Once again first and second places have been decided in this division but the relegation situation is interesting. Austria needs to win to haul itself away from automatic relegation and into a playoff. The Austrians cannot catch Slovenia who are comfortably in third place.

SOUTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP

26.04.2014
Uruguay 34, Paraguay 10 in Asuncion (South American Championship)
Brazil 24, Chile 16 in Barueri (South American Championship)

Briefly
Brazil caused yet another upset in the world of test rugby. Playing at home they outplayed a somewhat inexperienced Chilean side 24-16. They were dominant in the loose and despite having a smaller pack outscrummaged their opponents.

Uruguay had to work hard to out score Paraguay in Asuncion.

Next Round
03.05.2014
Brazil v Uruguay in Bento Goncalves
Chile v Paraguay in Chile

SOUTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP

26.04.2014
Paraguay v Uruguay in Asuncion (South American Championship)
Brazil v Chile in Barueri (South American Championship)

Preview
In this new format for CONSUR rugby last years victors qualify to play for the new CONSUR Cup. They include Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. This year the name South American Championship has been revived and will determine which two nations will play Argentina for the CONSUR Cup 2015.

Also new is the home-away basis of the Championship. This ensures that each nation receives at least one home game, something the ‘Tournament at one venue’ of the past didn’t offer.

Paraguay v Uruguay in Asuncion (South American Championship)

Venue: Asuncion

Referee: Unusually http://www.rugby365.com has not listed any referees for this tournament.

Uruguay travels to Asuncion to play neighbours Paraguay first game up. Paraguay has traditionally struggled against the stronger Uruguayan team and I see no change to that for 2014.

Uruguay has had recent test matches against the USA for the second World Cup finals place for Americas. They lost and now face the difficult repechage rounds to try and qualify. The benefit is that they have played together so far in 2014 whereas Paraguay hasn’t.

The last time these two teams met Uruguay notched up 100 points in Iguazi in 2011. Could the same happen again?

Paraguay starting XV. Image thanks to https://www.facebook.com/UnionDeRugbyDelParaguay?fref=ts

Prediction: Paraguay playing at home in front of a home crowd could put up some resistance in the first half but experience and better conditioning will see Uruguay ran away with the game second half. Uruguay by 60 points

Teams

Uruguay Squad

Rodolfo De Mula
Juan Echeverría
Francisco Jiménez
Carlos Arboleya
Nicolás Klappenbach
Matías Beer
Cristofer Soares de Lima
Agustín Alonso
Mathías Braun
Juan De Freitas
Mateo Sanguinetti
Franco Lamanna
Gabriel Puig
Alejo Durán
Francisco Vecino
Matías Arocena
Rodrigo Silva
Joaquín Prada
Nicolás Freitas
Gastón Gibernau
Francisco López
Federico Favaro
Santiago Martínez

http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4262&start=270

Paraguay squad list not available

Brazil v Chile in Barueri (South American Championship)

Venue: Barueri is near Sao Paulo

Preview
Brazil has been forwarded as one of the fastest rugby growing nations in the world. They still need to defeat either Uruguay or Chile to really announce their arrival on the world stage. This I still think they will find hard to do today. Chile just has that little more experience. But if Brazil is to crack the Chilean nut then doing it today at home will be their chance.

Last year Brazil pushed Chile to a 22-38 loss in Temuco in Chile. In 2012 Brazil lost 6-19 in Santiago. So this could be Brazil’s day but Chile will remain favourite to win.

Prediction: Chile by 7 points.

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?