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.
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
The Canterbury Crusaders edged the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in an intense Super Rugby Pacific final battle in Christchurch yesterday to claim their 15th title in 30 years of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Hooker Codie Taylor scored a try and Rivez Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the most dominant team in Super Rugby history extended their perfect home playoff record to 32 successive matches since 1998. The Chiefs, who were looking for a first title since 2013, scored first-half tries through George Dyer and Shaun Stevenson, but were unable to register a point after the break and fell to
REUNION: Former Barcelona players Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Miami coach Javier Mascherano are to face their former coach Luis Enrique Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi faces a tantalizing reunion with former club Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup last 16 after both sides on Monday progressed to the knockout phase. Miami drew 2-2 with Palmeiras to go through second in Group A, after the Brazilian side fought back from two goals down to seal top spot. They now face an all-Brazil clash against Botafogo, who lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid, but progressed from Group B in second at the expense of the Spaniards. Champions of Europe PSG won the group with a 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders, paving the
RSS