2018 Americas Pacific Challenge – USA Rugby Selects

The USA Rugby Selects face Uruguay A in their second match of the 2018 Americas Pacific Challenge on Wednesday, October 10 in Montevideo, Uruguay.

The Men’s Selects finished last year’s tournament in second-place while Tonga A came in third. After losing 39-30 in the first match, a second-place finish will be difficult to replicate, as their second opponent Uruguay XV, is a veteran team that is preparing for the Rugby World Cup 2019.

After facing Uruguay XV, the Selects will close out the Americas Pacific Challenge 2018 with reigning champion Argentina XV on Oct. 14. All three games will kick off at 12:30 PM ET and be streamed LIVE on FloRugby.

In other October 6th matches, Samoa A beat Argentina XV 36-31, the first time that Argentina has been beaten in the three years that the Americas Pacific Challenge has been held. Uruguay XV also won 35-21 against a Canada side, minus their European professionals that are preparing for the Rugby World Cup 2019 Repechage in November.

USA Rugby Selects vs. Tonga A Recap

It was a seesaw battle that saw Tonga A scoring twice in the last eight minutes for a comeback 39-30 win over the USA Rugby Selects.

The USA struck first after George Tu’ineau was sin-binned for a high tackle and Dylan Audsley kicked the subsequent penalty.

Tonga struck back with scrum-half Sione Ika finding a gap for a try, which was then converted by Saia Fililava for a 7-3 lead. Five minutes later, Tonga missed a penalty kick and an opportunity to extend the lead.

The Selects then took the lead from a Brendan Daly try, which was converted by Dylan Audsley, making the score 10-7. An Audsley penalty kick extended the lead to 13-7 before Tongan lock Irwin Finau bulled his way over the line for a try, which was then converted by Fililava to lead 17-13 at the break.

During the first half, the Selects won a number of turnovers, however, problems in the breakdown would be their nemesis during the whole match.

The Selects Tim Maupin quickly answered back with a try early in the second half to reclaim the lead, 20-17. Tonga’s Sione Ika then scored his second try for a 22-20 lead and the U.S. answered back with a penalty kick by Audsley to retake a 23-22 lead.

The USA extended the lead to 30-22 after Ryan Matyas found a gap and offloaded to Hanco Germishuys on the wide channel. Hanco broke a couple of tackles and Vili Toluta’u finished with a try in the corner.

Tonga responded tries by Sione Lave and Tevita Hafoka in the 72nd and 74th minutes with Fililava converting both and adding a late penalty to seal the 39-30 win.

USA Selects: 1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Alex Maughan, 3 John Hayden, 4 Nate Brakeley, 5 Taylor Krumrei, 6 Psalm Wooching, 7 Hanco Germishuys, 8 Brendan Daly, 9 Nick Boyer, 10 Conor Kearns (capt.), 11 Mika Kruse, 12 Anthony Salaber, 13 Dylan Audsley, 14 Tim Maupin, 15 Mitch Wilson 16 Pat O’Toole, 17 Kelepi Fifita, 18 Angus MacLellan, 19 Matt Jensen, 20 Vili Toluta’u, 21 Devereaux Ferris, 22 JP Eloff, 23 Ryan Matyas

Tonga A: 1 George Tu’ineau, 2 Solomone Kioa (capt.), 3 Anthony Aholelei, 4 Irwin Finau, 5 Asaeli Lehauli, 6 Tevita Hafoka, 7 Haloti Tupou, 8 Takau Cocker, 9 Sione Ika, 10 Saia Fililava, 11 Manase Folau, 12 Paki Afu, 13 James Faiva, 14 Petelesio Sili, 15 Alefosio Vahe 16 Maiu Ma’asi, 17 Paea Fono’ifua, 18 Sosaia Masima, 19 Vili Langi, 20 Bruce Ikamanu, 21 Sione Ta’ai, 22 Sione Lave, 23 Sefa Finau

USA Rugby Selects vs. Uruguay XV

USA Rugby Selects Head Coach Scott Lawrence has made four changes and three positional changes in the starters from the match against Tonga.

Vili Toluta’u gains the start at flanker with Brendan Daly shifting to lock and Hanco Germishuys to No. 8. In the backs, Devereaux Ferris and JP Eloff will be the halfbacks and Ryan Matyas at wing and Conor Kearns shifting to fullback.

In the reserves are Cam Falcon, Thomas Robles and Holden Yungert for the first time in the 2018 APC.

Uruguay has made six changes in their starters from their win over Canada. Juan Rombys, Diego Ayala, Juan Diego Ormaechea, and Manuel Diana will be a tighthead prop, lock, flanker, and at No.8 respectively.  Andrés De León is at scrumhalf and Manuel Blengio at fullback. The only new replacement will be Ignacio García.

It is important to Uruguay to keep the momentum going as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup 2019. With this in mind, they have several starting forwards from the last match to contribute as needed.

USA Selects: 1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Alex Maughan, 3 John Hayden, 4 Brendan Daly, 5 Nate Brakeley, 6 Psalm Wooching, 7 Vili Toluta’u, 8 Hanco Germishuys, 9 Devereaux Ferris, 10 JP Eloff, 11 Ryan Matyas, 12 Anthony Salaber, 13 Dylan Audsley, 14 Tim Maupin, 15 Conor Kearns (capt.) 16 Pat O’Toole, 17 Angus MacLellan, 18 Cam Falcon, 19 Taylor Krumrei, 20 Matt Jensen, 21 Thomas Robles, 22 Holden Yungert, 23 Mitch Wilson

Uruguay XV: 1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 Germán Kessler, 3 Juan Rombys, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Diego Ayala, 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt.), 7 Juan Diego Ormaechea, 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Andrés De León, 11 Federico Favaro, 12 Andrés Vilaseca, 13 Joaquín Prada, 14 Leandro Leivas, 15 Manuel Blengio 16 Manuel Ardao, 17 Guillermo Pujadas, 18 Juan Echeverría, 19 Alejandro Nieto, 20 Diego Magno, 21 Joaquín Alonso, 22 Ignacio García, 23 Tomás Inciarte

Americas Pacific Challenge 2018 Schedule

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