[RWCQ] Uruguay vs. Hong Kong 02/08/14

[LittleGuy]

Uruguay vs. Hong Kong 02/08/14, 15:45 UYT, Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, Uruguay

Referee: Frederico Anselmi (Argentina)

The moderate favourites to be the final 2015 RWC team Uruguay, begin their repechage round against Asian Five Nations 2nd place team Hong Kong. For Uruguay they will be looking to return to the RWC after missing the last two after qualifying for both 1999 and 2003 where the won a game at each event. In both last RWCQ campaigns they have fallen short in the repechage final. Pablo Lemoine has done a fantastic job making Los Teros a fundamentally sound side and they have given some higher ranked teams like Russia and the United States trouble in recent matches particularly in the set pieces. In front of a sizable home crowd they will be favourites for this match.

Meanwhile Hong Kong are a team that have been growing in strength and ability year after year. They are the only hope left for a RWC debutant and if they fail to qualify this will be the very first world cup that we haven't had a team make a 1st appearance. While Japan have usually had cake walks through the Asian Five nations Hong Kong did put in some resistance and have clearly overtaken South Korea as the 2nd best team in Asia. This game might mark a growing oppourtunity for a chance to qualify in 2019.

Lineups:

Uruguay

1 Alejo Corral
2 Nicolás Klappenbach
3 Oscar Duran
4 Matías Palomeque
5 Franco Lamanna
6 Juan Gaminara
7 Diego Magno
8 Alejandro Nieto
9 Agustín Ormaechea
10 Felipe Berchesi
11 Jerónimo Etcheverry
12 Alberto Román
13 Joaquín Prado
14 Santiago Gibernau
15 Gastón Mieres


Replacements

16 Arturo Avalo
17 Rodolfo De Mula
18 Carlos Arboleya
19 Cristofer Soarez de Lima
20 Juan De Freitas
21 Guillermo Lijtenstein
22 Alejo Duran
23 Santiago Vilaseca


Hong Kong

1. Leon Wei Hon-sum; 2. Alex Harris; 3. James Cooper; 4. Paul Dwyer; 5. Jack Delaforce; 6. Nick Hewson (captain); 7. Matt Lamming; 8. Pale Tauti; 9. Jamie Hood; 10. Chris McAdam; 11. Salom Yiu Kam-shing; 12. Jake Phelps; 13. Lloyd Jones; 14. Rowan Varty; 15. Alex McQueen.

Replacements:

16. Tom Bolland; 17. Jack Bennett; 18. Phil Leung; 19. Bill Brant; 20. Alex Baddeley; 21. Charles Cheng; 22. Niall Rowark; 23. Tom McQueen.

 

[Jaguares]

C'mon Teros !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LittleGuy]

Huge boost for Uruguay as their top player Ortega has returned to the program and will be participating in the RWCQ's. Good to see this, I know there was a personality conflict but he's too valuable to stay out of the side and Los Teros really do have a great chance of qualifying this year.

 

[usausa]

Adapted from: http://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/art...-numerous-jumps-ahead-biggest-game-hk-history

COACH’S CORNER
ANDY HALL
PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 15 July, 2014, 8:39pmUPDATED : Friday, 18 July, 2014, 10:17am
A hop, skip and numerous jumps ahead of biggest game in HK history

Five weeks of conditioning already in the bag, six more gruelling sessions to come, followed by a “short†hop across to the other side of the world, and we’ll be into the biggest game in Hong Kong 15s rugby history.

The August 2 Rugby World Cup repêchage game in Uruguay is, without question, a huge challenge. It is truly a “test†match, and as we look ahead to arguably our toughest international examination yet, we facing a number of challenges before we even get to Montevideo.

Let’s first take a look at the biggest hurdle … our opposition.

A team who have qualified for two previous Rugby World Cups, Los Teros have in recent months drawn against the United States and beaten Russia â€" two teams with significant RWC pedigrees.

Much like their Argentinian big brothers Uruguay’s massive pack and set piece threat would make any team take note, and in front of an 11,000-strong partisan crowd we can expect a warm, if not heated, reception.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Before our feet come close to touching South American soil we have a number of small but equally significant challenges to overcome.

Our short hop to Montevideo, for example, consists of a 40-hour journey on three separate flights across as many continents with a two-day turn around until game day. You don’t need to be a professor of sports science to appreciate this is not ideal preparation for the biggest game in our history.

Our time together has also been limited by player-commitments, such as pre-planned holidays, family time, work and the Hong Kong national sevens programme, preventing a full squad session until only eight days prior to departure.

Due to summer closures we have also been unable to train on a grass pitch (the surface we will be running out on in Uruguay) with our sessions taking place in four different venues across Hong Kong.

Now I can hear the sympathetic violins tuning up as I write this, but please lay down your bows for a moment. You will not find a single squad member worrying about these “uncontrollable†issues.

We cannot do anything about the journey time. We will of course look to minimise the adverse effects of the long-haul flight, but as always with this tremendous group of players, we will simply focus on the job at hand and get on with it.

We cannot help the fact that the sevens players have been away or that we only have six rugby sessions to prepare; we will ensure though that the time we do spend together is as detailed, accurate and precise as can be.

Uruguay have indeed shown their mettle recently in competing with some big rugby hitters, but will this overly concern our group? Not especially.

It won’t be the first time we have been underdogs, so as always there will be a massive focus on what we will bring to the table and the threats that we will pose rather than sleepless nights worrying about the opposition.

Yes, we will spend some time acknowledging the Uruguayan strengths but once again we have no way of controlling these.

What we most certainly can control is our personal, unit and team contribution, the efforts of which will provide us with opportunities to unquestionably worry our hosts.

It is the biggest game in our short history and one that the players, coaches and management are relishing.

And accuracy, precision and controlling the “controllables†will be the squad’s MO over the next few weeks with every hope that our RWC 2015 journey continues.

 

[bakakumon]

Emblem for Hong Kong team

The one shown in #1 is Hong Kong Football Club

 

[LittleGuy]

Emblem for Hong Kong team

The one shown in #1 is Hong Kong Football Club

Yeah I knew it was wrong, I'd wrote that it in the post and hadnt gotten around to finding the actual one, thanks for getting the proper one in the thread though.

I also stand corrected on Ortega's availability, he won't be available for this match but will be joining Los Teros if they advance to the repechage final. Uruguay's other overseas players have returned to the fold for this contest though.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Come on HK!! Though the team will be full of Gwei Los.

 

[bakakumon]

Live stream for this match

http://www.irb.com/live/video.html

 

[LittleGuy]

Great total rugby piece on Pablo Lemoine(who is becoming one of the best coaches in International rugby) and the Uruguayan team.

 

[Jaguares]

Vamos Uruguay !!!

 

[LittleGuy]

Uruguayan lineup named and added to 1st post of thread.

 

[usausa]

Hong Kong's starting line-up

1. Leon Wei Hon-sum; 2. Alex Harris; 3. James Cooper; 4. Paul Dwyer; 5. Jack Delaforce; 6. Nick Hewson (captain); 7. Matt Lamming; 8. Pale Tauti; 9. Jamie Hood; 10. Chris McAdam; 11. Salom Yiu Kam-shing; 12. Jake Phelps; 13. Lloyd Jones; 14. Rowan Varty; 15. Alex McQueen.

Replacements: 16. Tom Bolland; 17. Jack Bennett; 18. Phil Leung; 19. Bill Brant; 20. Alex Baddeley; 21. Charles Cheng; 22. Niall Rowark; 23. Tom McQueen.

http://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fif...ong-aim-spring-surprise-against-tough-uruguay

 

[LittleGuy]

This one starts in about 15 minutes everyone, from the IRB website.

 

[LittleGuy]

3-3 right now very sloppy first quarter. Uruguay need to go back to their strengths and stop swinging the ball out wide wildly. The lineout started functioning after a couple of horrible throws. Goal kicking has been an issue as well.

Hong Kong need to get some discipline, they've conceded 7 or 8 penalties and are lucky to be drawn as Oremachea has missed two penalties one of which was very makeable. I could see a yellow coming to Hong Kong soon if they don't get their act together.

Edit: Now Uruguay lands the most difficult kick of the day 6-3 for Los Teros.

 

[London_Italian]

Very interesting so far. I thought Uruguay would run away with this one.

 

[LittleGuy]

Hong Kong have finally been warned about their discipline, Uruguay miss another penalty though in fairness this was a tough kick.

 

[LittleGuy]

Lacklustre first half ends with Uruguay leading by a score of 6-3. I think they've been the better team for the vast majority of the half but their finishing has been terrible and three missed penalties have made this a narrower margin than it should be. Credit to Hong Kong who've bent but not broken after such a long journey to get here they are still weel in this game. Everything to play for in the 2nd half, this game really needs a try scored to open it up.

 

[usausa]

Uruguay 6-3 Hong Kong

Uruguay:
Pen: Agustín Ormaechea 2/5 (3', 7'x, 23'x, 28', 33'x)

Hong Kong:
Pen: Chris McAdam 1/1 (13')

 

[LittleGuy]

Uruguay switch to Berchesi as kicker and he nails one from some distance, 9-3 about 5 minutes into 2nd half.

Well it's been coming for about half an hour and finally Leon Wei Hon-sum has been yellow carded in the scrum. Uruguay are totally dominant in this facet of the game and not surpising an HK player has been sent to the bin for repeated infringements.

Edit: Another Uruguayan penalty off of a scrum win and the kick is made, 12-3 now nearly into the final quarter. HK seem to be flagging a little, might be time to bring their bench in en masse.

 

[LittleGuy]

Another yellow card to Hong Kong, Hewson the captain getting it this time.

Lot's happening now, right after the yellow was a succesful penalty for Uruguay to put them up 15-3, which was followed a few minutes later by a try by Berchesi to make it 20-3, the conversion ws missed but it's still looking dire for Hong Kong and this RWC is looking to be the first without a debutant nation ever.

Edit: It looks even more secure now, another penalty for Uruguay 23-3 with only a few minutes to go.

Los Teros scrum is manhandling Hong Kong's, it's a massacre. In injury time now and Uruguay in control threatening another score.......and they get it, another try in the corner off of a maul by Diege Magno. Conversion is missed again, but dosen't matter final whistle.

The final score was Uruguay 28-3 for Hong Kong, better goal kicking and the margin could have been even wider. Uruguay advance to take on Russia in a home and away Repechage final for the final RWC spot. Hong Kong are eliminated. This is the first ever RWC to not have a debutant team, and we will have the exact same sides as either 2011 or 2003.