KUMAGAYA, 9 Oct – Nicolas Sanchez, the leading points scorer at Rugby World Cup 2015 but mysteriously surplus to requirements in Saturday’s defeat by England, returned to Argentina’s ranks to orchestrate a big win against USA.
Sanchez scored the opening try, kicked 10 points, and gave a convincing reprise of his influential role four years ago.
Liberated by their 19-5 half-time lead, Argentina ran the ball at every opportunity in the second half, their pace and changes of direction proving too much for the Americans.
It has been a disappointing campaign for Mario Ledesma’s team, but this win at least confirms their place in France in four years’ time.
The big surprise was that neither side had scored before Sanchez broke the deadlock after 18 minutes. First, right-winger Bautista Delguy lost his footing with only USA full-back Mike Te’o to beat and then the TMO ruled out a try under the posts by scrum-half Felipe Ezcurra for obstruction.
USA also came close, pounding the Argentina line but missing what proved a rare opportunity when AJ MacGinty’s pass went to ground.
What a day ahead of us! 3 matches with the first one, #ARGvUSA kicking-off at 13:45 at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Saitama. #RWCkumagaya Gates open at 11:45 so please make your way early to make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime #RWC2019 experience!
When it arrived, the opening try underlined Argentina’s counter-attacking prowess. Sanchez exchanged passes with Juan Cruz Mallia and put his head down. Across came Te’o but Sanchez rolled out of a bulldozing tackle, pictured above, with the ball and touched down.
Six minutes later, Sanchez kicked ahead with his left foot, bamboozling Te’o with a cruel bounce and giving full-back Joaquin Tuculet an easy score.
Tuculet scored again 10 minutes later, taking Sanchez’s pass and ducking under a high tackle from Paul Lasike.
Little had gone right for USA, but they cut the deficit when Lasike’s run set up MacGinty for an exquisite grubber kick that Blaine Scully, the captain, touched down on the right.
The result – and Argentina’s bonus point – was settled when Player of the Match Mallia, below, popped over unopposed after 43 minutes; four minutes later Sanchez sent Mallia scampering 40 metres for his second try.
Jeronimo de la Fuente, sent clear by Santiago Carreras, joined in the fun with Argentina’s sixth try, so it was to USA’s credit that Lasike powered over for a well-merited touchdown.
There was still time, though, for replacement Gonzalo Bertranou to score Argentina’s seventh try and Scully scored his second after the gong.
Rugby World Cup Pool C
Match #30 – FULL TIME
ARGENTINA 🇦🇷 4️⃣7️⃣ vs 1️⃣7️⃣ 🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
#ARGvUSA #RWC2019
#GROUPC #RUGBYREDEFINED
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🇦🇷 ARGENTINA : 4️⃣7️⃣
Tries: Nicolas Sanchez (18′), Joaquin Tuculet (24′,35′),Juan Cruz Mallia (43′,48′),Jeronimo De La Fuente (55′), Gonzalo Bertranou (71′)
Cons: Nicolas Sanchez (20′,24′,44′,48′,56′,71), Benjamin Urdapilleta (71′)
Pens: —
Drop Goals: —
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES : 1️⃣7️⃣
Try: Blaine Scully (39′, 80), Paul Lasike (59′)
Cons: AJ MacGinty (60′)
Pens: —
Drop Goals: —
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“LIVE Rugby Redefined World Rankings”
-19:35hrs 09/10/19 (NZ Time)
RR # Test Nations
1 9️⃣0️⃣.9️⃣9️⃣ NEW ZEALAND
2 8️⃣8️⃣.8️⃣7️⃣ WALES
3 8️⃣8️⃣.1️⃣3️⃣ ENGLAND
4 8️⃣5️⃣.9️⃣3️⃣ IRELAND
5 8️⃣5️⃣.7️⃣5️⃣ SOUTH AFRICA
6 8️⃣3️⃣.5️⃣1️⃣ AUSTRALIA
7 8️⃣1️⃣.3️⃣8️⃣ FRANCE
8 8️⃣0️⃣.7️⃣0️⃣ JAPAN
9 8️⃣0️⃣.6️⃣2️⃣ SCOTLAND
10 7️⃣8️⃣.3️⃣1️⃣ ARGENTINA (no change)
11 7️⃣2️⃣.4️⃣2️⃣ FIJI
12 7️⃣2️⃣.0️⃣4️⃣ ITALY
13 7️⃣0️⃣.7️⃣2️⃣ SAMOA ➕ 1️⃣
14 7️⃣0️⃣.3️⃣3️⃣ USA ➖ 1️⃣
15 7️⃣0️⃣.0️⃣3️⃣ GEORGIA
16 6️⃣9️⃣.2️⃣2️⃣ TONGA
17 6️⃣9️⃣.1️⃣8️⃣ URUGUAY
18 6️⃣8️⃣.1️⃣5️⃣ SPAIN
19 6️⃣6️⃣.6️⃣9️⃣ ROMANIA
20 6️⃣3️⃣.0️⃣9️⃣ RUSSIA
21 6️⃣1️⃣.3️⃣3️⃣ PORTUGAL
22 6️⃣1️⃣.1️⃣2️⃣ CANADA
23 6️⃣1️⃣.0️⃣1️⃣ NAMIBIA
24 5️⃣9️⃣.6️⃣4️⃣ HONG KONG
25 5️⃣8️⃣.4️⃣6️⃣ NETHERLANDS
RR WORLD RANKINGS – During World Cup the RR Ranking Points are DOUBLED
ARG (on 76.80 points) -vs- USA (on 71.84 points) in a RWC match
| Possible Outcome | Rating Point Exchange |
New ARG Rating |
New USA Rating |
Will USA overtake ARG? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARG win by 1-15 points | 1.008 | 77.81 | 70.83 | No |
| ARG win by more than 15 | 1.512 | 78.31 | 70.33 | No |
| result is a draw | 0.992 | 75.81 | 72.83 | No |
| USA win by 1-15 points | 2.992 | 73.81 | 74.83 | Yes |
| USA win by more than 15 | 4.488 | 72.31 | 76.33 | Yes |
TEAMS
🇦🇷 ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Matías Alemanno, 6 Pablo Matera (capt.), 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 9 Felipe Ezcurra, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Santiago Carreras, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Joaquín Tuculet
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Benjamín Urdapilleta, 23 Matías Moroni
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
1 Eric Fry, 2 Joe Taufete’e, 3 Titi Lamositele, 4 Nate Brakeley, 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Tony Lamborn, 7 Hanco Germishuys, 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Ruben de Haas, 10 AJ MacGinty, 11 Marcel Brache, 12 Paul Lasike, 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Blaine Scully (capt.), 15 Mike Te’o
Replacements: 16 Dylan Fawsitt, 17 Olive Kilifi, 18 Paul Mullen, 19 Ben Landry, 20 Ben Pinkelman, 21 Nate Augspurger, 22 Will Hooley, 23 Martin Iosefo
Date: Wednesday, October 09
Venue: Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistants: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) & Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
