USA U20s vs Uruguay U20s Saturday 7AM
USA U20s vs Uruguay U20s Saturday 7AM
The USA U20 Men get ready to meet Uruguay Saturday in the World Rugby U20 Trophy.
This is their fourth meeting on the World Rugby U20 Championship stage but the first in a pool match since 2011. USA have won the last two encounters but both matches were close, winning by a point and two points respectively.
Ben Cima scored 14 points when they last met in Zimbabwe in 2016, scoring one of his side's four tries as well as kicking two penalties and two conversions. The USA’s other try-scorers were captain Hanco Germishuys, Malon Al-Jiboori and Duncan van Schalkwyk.
Uruguay played with 13 men at one point during the second half when yellow cards to Martin Fitipaldo and Lorenzo Surraco overlapped and they finished the game with 14 when Federico Bruno was sent off in the last minute.
All of Uruguay’s points came in the first 42 minutes, when they had a full complement of players, thanks to tries from Luis Zeballos, Sebastian Pfeiff, Lucas Duran and Fitipaldo and three Felipe Etcheverry conversions.
USA U20s vs Uruguay U20s LIVE. Kickoff from Nairobi, Kenya Saturday at 7AM Eastern Time, 4AM Pacific Time. Watch it here>>
Overall Trophy Histories
Uruguay will be appearing in a record 11th World Rugby U20 Trophy, having only missed the 2009 (played in the U20 Championship in Japan) and 2012 editions.
Los Teritos were the inaugural champions when the tournament was first held in Chile in 2008.
Los Teritos have played more matches at the U20 Trophy than any other team (40) and have scored the most points (1,278) and most tries (166).
Los Teritos have failed to add to their single title in 2008 but came third in 2015 and again when they hosted the tournament in 2017.
Uruguay qualified after finishing runners-up behind Sudamérica Rugby U19 champions Argentina following a 62-14 win against Chile back in December.
Uruguay had also played in the U20s Canada Conference at Guelph University in August 2022 where they defeated Chile and Uruguay and then completed a clean sweep of wins with a 45-28 win over the host nation Canada, Pedro Marsico scoring a hat-trick of tries.
They warmed up for this tournament with matches against Spain and Canada.
USA are appearing in their sixth World Rugby U20 Trophy having previously competed in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016. They played in the U20 Championship in 2008 and 2013.
This is the first time they have qualified for the U20 Trophy since 2016. The Americans have lifted the trophy once, on home soil in 2012, and finished on the podium on two other occasions (second in 2009 and third in 2014).
USA were the first-ever host nation to win the U20 Trophy when they claimed the title after a thrilling victory over Japan in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2012.
USA qualified after comfortably beating Canada in a two-leg North American qualifying round in South Carolina in June, winning the opening match 43-21 and the second 39-14.
Selections
Uruguay's starting XV shows a number of changes to the one that last took to the field against Spain U20 in May.
Joaquin Borrazas comes into the front row at loosehead prop, Franco Bertini switches from No. 8 to lock and his place at the back of the pack is taken by Manuel Rosmarino.
In the backs, Joaquín Suárez is preferred to Pedro Hoblog at scrum-half and Pedro Brum comes into the side at outside-centre, with Guillermo Juan Storace – the son of Los Teritos' head coach – moving in one position in midfield.
Nicolás Conti started the Spain game wearing 12 but he shifts out to the left wing, while in another alteration, Juan González has a 14 on his back instead of an 11.
USA have made five changes of personnel and two positional from the team that defeated Canada in the second leg of their North American qualifier in June.
John Wilson comes in at loosehead prop in an otherwise unchanged pack that features Caden Crist at hooker and Connor Devos alongside him in the front row.
Dylan Fortune and William Sherman go again in the engine room, while Cameron McAlpine and Hayden McKay are the flankers and Aidan Christians lines up at No. 8.
Fly-half Hugh O'Kennedy has a new half-back partner in Thomas Hannon, while Iosefa Toia'ivao's inclusion on the left wing results in Sosaia Pongi shifting to the right.
Dominic Besag replaces Crist as captain, but at inside center not 13, where Aisake Tukuafu gets the nod.
Rand Santos is selected at fullback alongside wings Toia'ivao and Pongi in the deep three.
Head Coaches
Both head coaches have played for their country. Guillermo Storace suited up 45 times for Los Teros, played in two Rugby World Cups, and was named captain twice. Kyle Sumsion played five times for the USA before he had to step away due to injury. He returned to the game to play professionally in Houston and New York.
Lineups
| Uruguay | USA | |||
| 1 | Joaquin Borrazas | 1 | John Wilson | |
| 2 | Máximo Lamelas | 2 | Cade Crist | |
| 3 | Juan Pedro Lorenzo | 3 | Connor Devos | |
| 4 | Franco Bertini | 4 | Dylan Fortune | |
| 5 | Manuel Bertolotti | 5 | Will Sherman | |
| 6 | Juan Ignacio Cambón (C) | 6 | Cameron McAlpine | |
| 7 | Francisco Deffemiinis | 7 | Hayden McKay | |
| 8 | Manuel Rosmarino | 8 | Aidan Christians | |
| 9 | Joaquín Suárez | 9 | Tommy Hannon | |
| 10 | Icaro Amarillo | 10 | Hugh O'Kennedy | |
| 11 | Nicolás Conti | 11 | Iosefa Toia'ivao | |
| 12 | Guillermo Juan Storace | 12 | Dominic Besag (C) | |
| 13 | Pedro Brum | 13 | Aisake Tukuafu | |
| 14 | Juan González | 14 | Sosaia Pongi | |
| 15 | Juan Carlos Canessa | 15 | Rand Santos | |
| Reserves | Reserves | |||
| 16 | Francisco García | 16 | John Vinter | |
| 17 | Felipe Pick | 17 | Declan Dolan | |
| 18 | Tomas Coubrough | 18 | Jaydon Brooks | |
| 19 | Martin Civetta | 19 | Jackson Cain | |
| 20 | Arturo Ten Hoever | 20 | Logan Ballinger | |
| 21 | Pedro Hoblog | 21 | Solomon Williams | |
| 22 | Juan Bautista Crisci | 22 | Oliver Cline | |
| 23 | Dante Soto | 23 | Corbin Smith |
