|
The USA held off Uruguay in a tough match in Montevideo Saturday 27-22.
The Eagles got first-half tries from Tim Usasz and Kevin Swiryn in the first half and led 15-3 at halftime.
But penalties started to hurt the Eagles in the second half and Jeronimo Etcheverry's outstanding goalkicking started to bring Los Teros back.
In front of 2,000 vociferous fans on a beautifully sunny spring afternoon, Los Teros took advantage of their supremacy in the scrum but had troubled in the lineout and lost a lot of balls in contact when they tried to run.
The Eagles took an early 5-0 lead with a try from scrumhalf Tim Usasz before Nicolas Moral’s penalty made it 5-3.
The Eagles led 15-3 at halftime after Kevin Swiryn scored his second try in as many test matches, and Mike Hercus added the conversion. With time winding down in the half Hercus added a penalty.
The Eagles kept up the pressure and scored early in the second half through center Junior Sifa, converted by Hercus, to make it 22-3. Fullback Jeronimo Etcheverry took over the kicking duties and was very strong in that regard. He popped one kick over to make it 22-6, before Alipate Tuilevuka scored the USA’s fourth try to make it 27-6. Uruguay was shothanded at the time as Mario Sagario had received a yellow card.
It was all Uruguay in the final 16 minutes, as the crowd urged them to a famous comeback. It almost happened as Etcheverry his three penalties in quick succession and then, with Mike Petri in the sin bin, added a try right at the end of the game, which he converted.
That made it 27-22. Uruguay was within a try and after the restarted surged once more. But the game ended with the USA up by five. The USA and Uruguay now move on to Florida for the return leg of the two-game series, with the USA on a slim five-point lead.
USA 27
Tries: Usasz, Swiryn, Sifa, Tuilevuka
Convs: Hercus 2
Pens: Hercus
Uruguay 22
Tries: Etcheverry
Convs: Etcheverry
Pens: Moral, Etcheverry 3
USA Starting Lineup
15. Chris Wyles (Saracens) 14. Takudzwa Ngwenya (Biarritz Olympic) 13. Paul Emerick (Parma FC) 12. Junior Sifa (Midleton RFC) 11. Kevin Swiryn (Old Puget Sound Beach RFC) 10. Mike Hercus (Gold Coast Stingrays) 9. Tim Usasz (Nottingham RFC)
1. Mate Moeakiola (Pearl Cit/ Sporting Club Albigeois) 2. Phil Thiel (Life University) 3. Will Johnson (Oxford University) 4. John Van der Giessen (Sporting Club Albigeois) 5. Hayden Smith (Saracens) 6. Louis Stanfill (New York Athletic Club) 7. Todd Clever (Golden Lions) 8. Nic Johnson (Denver Barbarians)
Reserves: 16. Brian McClenahan (Olympic Club) 17. Jacob Sprague (Mystic River RFC) 18. Alec Parker (Gentlemen of Aspen) 19. Jonathan ‘JJ’ Gagiano (FC Roma) 20. Mike Petri (New York Athletic Club) 21. Nese Malifa (Belmont Shore RFC) 22. Pate Tuilevuka (Provo Steelers)
Uruguay Teros Starting Lineup
15. Jerónimo Etchverry (Carrasco Polo) 14. Martín Crosa (Old Boys) 13. Juan Llovet (Old Christians) 12. Joaquín Pastore (Old Boys - Capitán) 11. Leandro Leivas (Old Christians) 10. Nicolás Morales (Trébol) 9. Juan Campomar (Old Boys)
1. Rodrigo Sànchez (Carrasco Polo) 2. Martín Espiga (Old Christians) 3. Mario Sagario (Dax - Francia)
4. Carlos Protasi (Carrasco Polo) 5. Matías Fonseca (Los Cuervos) 6. Nicolás Brignoni (Oyonnax - Francia) 7. Alfredo Giuria (Los Cuervos) 8. Rodrigo Capó (Castres - Francia)
Reserves: 16. Carlos Arboleya (Trébol) 17. Alejo Corral (SIC) 18. Juan Alzueta (Trébol) 19. Juan Horta
20. Manuel Martinez (Old Christians) 21. Alejandro Silveira (Los Cuervos) 22-Tomás Jolivet (Old Boys)
|