The US qualified for the 2011 Rugby World Cup when they beat Uruguay 27-6 at Central Broward Regional Park on Saturday.
The Eagles defeated Uruguay 27-22 in Montevideo a week ago and swept the final round of the Americas playoffs 54-28 on aggregate in a repeat of four years ago.
“We trained at game tempo all week and the team completely bought into it. We knew what determination and grit it would take and it made us mentally tougher going into the game,” said Eagles captain and flanker Todd Clever, who scored two of their four tries.
“We have our spot in the Rugby World Cup now, which is the important part. It’s nice to finish strong, but hopefully we can pick up where we left off,” Clever said.
In New Zealand in two years, the US will play in Pool C with two-time champions Australia, Ireland, Italy and a European team yet to be determined.
Uruguay’s Teros have another chance to qualify next year against an Asian side who have also yet to be determined.
Flanker Louis Stanfill completed a break by winger Kevin Swiryn for the first try, then Swiryn produced another brilliant solo try, scooping his own chip.
In Montevideo he dotted down twice, from running back a kickoff and an intercept.
Uruguay closed to 13-6 straight after halftime with Jeronimo Etcheverry’s second penalty, but Clever charged 35m from a maul for the converted try that secured the result.
Teros prop Mario Sagario was sent off with 25 minutes to go, but the US didn’t take advantage until the last minute when Clever, filling in at winger after Swiryn left the field injured, finished off a team move in the left corner.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two