Underdogs Uruguay yesterday pulled off the greatest win in their history to beat Fiji 30-27, the first upset at the Rugby World Cup in Japan after a pulsating game at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium.
The South American side had only ever won two games at the World Cup and are ranked nine places below the more celebrated Pacific islanders, whom they had never beaten.
However, they capitalized on an error-strewn performance by Fiji, whose hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages now hang by a thread.
Photo: Reuters
Uruguay captain Juan Gaminara broke down in tears at the end of the game, saying: “We are not the biggest, we are not the tallest, but we came here to win.”
“Since we qualified, we have been thinking about this game and you saw the passion. I’m really proud,” added Gaminara, whose squad contains several players with semi-professional status.
The thrilling game had a much deeper significance as it was played in Kamaishi, one of the towns hardest-hit by a 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan.
The stadium, the only purpose-built venue at the Rugby World Cup, was built on the site of a school destroyed by the waves and hosting the match was seen as a powerful sign of recovery.
As Japanese Crown Prince Akishino looked on, the crowd observed a moment’s silence to remember the more than 1,000 people killed in the tsunami, several children in the crowd removing their caps and bowing their heads in prayer.
With emotions running high, Fiji were first on the score sheet in the seventh minute, Mesulame Dolokoto dotting down to complete a slick line-out move that came after a delightful chip and catch by fullback Alivereti Veitokani.
However, Uruguay showed immediately that they were not there to make up the numbers and hit back via a mazy run from scrumhalf Santiago Arata, one of the smallest players on the pitch, who evaded several tackles before touching down under the posts for an easy conversion.
Fiji’s huge forward superiority eventually told as prop Eroni Mawi bundled over from close range.
However, Uruguay refused to go away and again took the lead as No. 8 Manuel Diana barged over for a converted try.
The minnows leaped further ahead with 26 minutes on the clock, Juan Manuel Cat finishing off a flowing move down the left. A penalty just before halftime gave battling Uruguay a deserved 24-12 lead at the break.
Fiji had taken a shock lead of their own into the second half of their defeat by Australia, but this time they found themselves needing a dramatic comeback.
After Josh Matavesi missed a relatively simple penalty that would have steadied the nerves, lock Api Ratuniyarawa finished off a move that featured a sensational off-load.
Replacement scrumhalf Nikola Matawalu dived over following an outrageous dummy to close the gap to 22-27 and set up a nail-biting final 10 minutes.
Fiji threw everything at Uruguay, but a Felipe Berchesi penalty took them out of sight and they clung on for dear life in the final stages. A last-minute Matawalu try was not enough to prevent victory.
The Pacific islanders, who were seen as an outside bet to cause a shock of their own in Pool D, which includes Wales and Australia, were left to rue a comedy of errors, including several relatively simple missed kicks.
“Everything went wrong today. It’s not the result we wanted. It’s not how we wanted the game to go today. We underestimated a very good Uruguay team,” a disconsolate captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu said.
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