We’re in the thick of July test rugby action. Attention may be focused on the Lions, Springboks and All Blacks but plenty drama is unfolding elsewhere, in the midst of the lower rankings battle for World Cup spots. Here’s 5 games should have watched, but probably didn’t…
We’re in the thick of July test rugby action. Attention may be focused on the Lions, Springboks and All Blacks but plenty drama is unfolding elsewhere, in the midst of the lower rankings battle for World Cup spots. Here’s 5 games should have watched, but probably didn’t…
The most hotly anticipated match-up of the summer for fans of the traditional Tier 2 nations. Spain came into this game on their strongest run of form in recent times, having finished as runner up in Rugby Europe. USA, meanwhile, were looking to show the world they really are on the right path 6 years out from hosting the World Cup. They faced off in Charlotte with 15th spot in the world rankings on the line
It was a see-saw match. Spain raced out to a 21-0 lead inside the first 25 minutes. Their direct game plan, aerial superiority and red zone efficiency was too much for the Eagles. Spain’s star player, centre Lopez Bontempo, racked up 11 points in this period alone.
The home support must have feared the worst, but their side was back in it by half time thanks to two tries from Bonasso in the 35th and 38th minute. Into the second half, AJ MacGinty reduce the deficit to just one point on 51 minutes via two penalty goals. However, Spain held firm, keeping the game scoreless for the next 20 minutes. The visitors eventually dealt the killer blow with a maul try in the 79th minute.
A 4 tries to 2 defeat on home soil to a side they were beating handily just 2 years ago will sting the USA, who dropped to 16th in the rankings. For Spain, it was a superb start to the summer and sent a message to the world that their climb up the rankings is fully deserved. They head north to face Canada next week whilst the USA have the daunting task of a game against England - a double header with their women’s team who will take on the Red Roses, an even more daunting task!
Over the border, North American men’s rugby took another setback as Canada were defeated by 23rd ranked Belgium 18-25. Back in 2022, Canada won this fixture 45-0 and just 12 months ago Belgium were picking up losses to the likes of Brazil. Now, the Canadians are looking nervously over their shoulders at the same Brazil side who could well be there opponents in the World Cup final qualification tournament.
Canada actually led 13-12 at the break but Belgium scored 13 unanswered points between the 52nd and 75th minute. In the end it was 3 tries apiece and it could have been a closer game if Canada hadn’t missed all 3 of their conversion attempts whilst Belgium got 2 of their own plus 2 penalty goals.
This was Canada’s first game since former head coach Kingsley Jones’ departure and the result shows they are still far from a recovery. Should they fall into the final qualification tournament they will face Belgium again, meaning this result should be very worrying for their union. Next week they’ll face Spain and will surely already be fearing the worst.
Rugby Europe may have been looking good after the two games discussed above, but it was looking squarely at the ground on Saturday night as Rominia were destroyed 70-8 by Uruguay. Los Teros are one of the nations looking to distance themselves from the rest of the Tier 2 crowd and join Georgia in the Tier 1.5 category. Beating the 3rd placed Rugby Europe nation so handily will certainly help that cause.
Romania’s summer tour has been the stuff of nightmares. They were woefully uncompetitive in this fixture and t times Uruguay ran round them as if they weren’t even there. This humiliation followed another awful defeat at the hands of Chile a week earlier. Combined with Portugals horrific 106-7 home defeat to a 2nd string Ireland, serious questions were being asked of Rugby Europe as Saturday drew to a close.
Uruguay, on the other hand, are favourites to nail down South America’s only automatic qualification spot. Their performance, along with Chile’s, has made a mockery of world rugby’s decision to limit the continent to one place and award extras to Asia, Europe and North America. They welcome Argentina next week, a game they will be highly motivated for having lost last year’s fixture 79-5.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse for Rugby Europe, 7 times champion Georgia lost to South African Currie Cup side Cheetahs 24-20 in Bloemfontein. They were actually leading with 10 minutes to go but a converted try for the home side, coached by the iconic Ruan Peinaar, stole victory away from them.
We have seen test sides lose to club sides before, such as Wales losing to the Chiefs on a tour of New Zealand in 2016, but at least that was a top tier club side. The Cheetahs aren’t even amongst South Africa’s URC teams and were not a finalist in last year’s Currie Cup.
This may not have been Georgia’s strongest line-up, but their team was still comprised of TOP14 players and players from Black Lion, the franchise competing in the EPCR Challenge up. Ironically, Cheetahs are also playing in the Challenge Cup, and one could imagine a game between the two finishing quite similarly to this. The difference is, Georgia are asking for a Six Nations spot - with plenty of support from some fans. That cause is not helped by results like this.
If gaps were growing in the mid table of men’s rugby, spare a moment for women’s rugby where the gap between the best sides and the merely good sides remains cavernous. New Zealand and Australia are separated by just 3 ranking positions, yet the Kiwis have now defeated their neighbours 29 times in a row.
It was just 10-7 at half time but the 2nd half was a blow-out, with New Zealand scoring all their points by the 69th minute. It could have been much worse as they kicked just 1 of their 7 conversions. Australia only managed a consolation right at the end. They will continue their World Cup preparations against Wales in a couple of weeks time.
The match was a landmark one for Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, considered by most to be the greatest women’s rugby player ever, who scored her 49th test try drawing her level with Doug Howlett as the top scoring test kiwi of any gender. The difference is, she score her 49 in just 28 games, along with 256 tries in 7s! Her hat trick in this game came after scoring 7 against USA in her last game, meaning she has double figure tries in her last 2 games alone! Not bad for someone who had originally planned to be retired by now…