Defense Leads USA South in RAN U19 Tournament Day 2
Defense Leads USA South in RAN U19 Tournament Day 2
The USA South Panthers are into the final of the Rugby Americas North U19 championships after winning twice on Thursday.
The showcased some more outstanding defense, beating Bermuda 35-3 and Mexico 17-6. In the four shortened games of the tournament so far the South team is yet to allow a try.
Lock Alex Schenke, center Ed Durham, and flanker Kyler Rieves led the defensive effort, which sees the Panthers top the standings and ensuring they play the #2 team in the final on Saturday in difficult conditions in Querétaro, Mexico.
Here are the scores from Day One and Day Two
| Bermuda | 17-10 | Mexico |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 0-34 | USA South |
| Cayman Islands | 0-7 | Mexico |
| Bermuda | 14-11 | Trinidad & Tobago |
| USA South | 31-3 | Cayman Islands |
| USA South | 35-3 | Bermuda |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 5-3 | Cayman Islands |
| USA South | 17-6 | Mexico |
| Bermuda | 33-0 | Cayman Islands |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 19-17 | Mexico |
Here are the standings after Day Two
| RAN U19 Boys | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD |
| USA South | 4 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 12 | 105 |
| Bermuda | 3 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 56 | 11 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 2 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 68 | -33 |
| Mexico | 1 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 53 | -13 |
| Cayman Islands | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 76 | -70 |
This has been a weird tournament. Mexico easily provided the closest game to the USA South, but ended up 1-3 with every other game won or lost by a try or less. Bermuda won their other three games and will play USA South in the final.
T&T will play Mexico for 3rd. Plans for a Mexico B vs the 5th-placed team appear to have been scrapped.