The 2019 Americas Rugby Championship began on Saturday, February 2 with the USA beating Chile 71-8 at Estadio Santiago Bueras.
The match against Chile was broadcast LIVE on FloRugby. As reigning two-time Champions, the Eagles have secured their first win in 2019 as they chase their third consecutive title in the opening of a Rugby World Cup year.
Match Recap
AJ MacGinty kicked off to begin the match and Hanco Germishuys stripped a Chilean player of the ball. After a lineout after a penalty, the Eagles mauled over the line with Joe Taufete’e grounding the ball for the record-tying 14th try of his career for a front row player. The lead was still 5-0 after MacGinty’s kick went wide.
The Eagles attacked from the restart moving the ball through phases side to side. MacGinty capped the attack with a try and a conversion for a 12-0 lead in the 6th minute.
After some back and forth kicks, Gonzalo Lara streaked down touch and a knock on 5-meters out thwarted their attack. After the ensuing scrum, the USA cleared. Chile then went through phases until an obstruction allowed MacGinty to kick for territory.
Chile then placed the USA under sustained pressure in defending their line. After a penalty, the team elected to kick for points with Francisco Gonzalez Moller slotting the kick to cut the lead to 12-3.
The USA extended their lead after an offload by Marcel Brache to Paul Lasike resulted in a try. Magee then slotted the conversion for a 19-3 lead. Nick Civetta found a gap in the Chile defense and added a bonus pint 4th try in the 27th minute. MacGinty then added the conversion pushing the lead to 26-3.
Bryce Cambell offloaded to Paul Lasike, who raced downfield and then offloaded inside to Shaun Davies who finished with a try. MacGinty slotted the kick for a 33-3 lead.
The USA had another attack from a Davies run, with MacGinty and Magee touching the ball. A kick pass from MacGinty to Germishuys couldn’t be handled and resulted in a Chile scrum deep in their territory.
Soon after the team mauled from a lineout and Hanco Germishuys added the team’s 6th try in the left corner for a 38-3 lead, as MacGinty’s conversion from touch pushed wide of the posts.
Second Half
The USA started off strong again to begin the second half with a long run by Hanco Germishuys. A knock on soon after gave the ball to Chile, but they could not maintain possession.
From a breakdown, the Eagles spun the ball right and AJ MacGinty took an offload from Gannon Moore in for a try and subsequently converted for a 45-3 lead. Chile then answered back with a try by Matias Dittus to cut the lead to 45-8 as the conversion by Francisco Urroz sailed wide.
Chile was penalized for pulling down a USA scrum at midfield and the Eagles then attacked from a lineout deep in Chile territory. a penalty thwarted their potential score from 2-meters out, allowing Chile to clear.
MacGinty then raced in for a hat trick as Bryce Campbell executed a pop pass. He then slotted the conversion for a 52-8 lead and exited the pitch as Tadgh Leader replaced him, gaining his first cap.
The USA then went through multiple offloads almost reaching the line. From the breakdown, they went wide right with Tadhg Leader scoring his first try in the right corner and then slotting the conversion for a 59-8 lead.
Marcel Brache contested a high ball and Ruben de Haas finished with the team’s 10th try, pushing the lead to 64-8, as Leader’s conversion from touch sailed to the left of the posts.
Two minutes out, Julio Blanc was sent to the bin for a no wrap tackle. The USA then apparently capitalized as Cam Dolan grounded the ball for a try. After viewing a TMO, the grounding attempt was ruled that the ball slipped from his hands. Chile was then given a 5-meter scrum and was penalized. Chile then collapsed the USA scrum with Matias Dittus being sent to the bin. The third scrum then resulted in a Cam Dolan try and a Leader conversion for a 71-8 win.
The Eagles scored 11 tries with a dominant effort to open the team’s defense of the ARC title.
Squads
Chile: 1 Francisco Pizarro, 2 Tomás Dussaillant, 3 Nicolás Ovalle, 4 Bastián Burguener, 5 Clemente Saavedra, 6 Martín Sigren (capt.), 7 Ignacio Silva, 8 Jaden Laing, 9 Domingo Saavedra, 10 Francisco González Moller, 11 Gonzalo Lara, 12 Vicente Ayarza, 13 Christian Huerta, 14 José Ignacio Larenas, 15 Tomás Ianiszewski16 Augusto Böhme, 17 Javier Carrasco, 18 Matías Dittus, 19 Javier Eissmann, 20 Thomas Orchard, 21 Juan Pablo Larenas, 22 Francisco Urroz, 23 Julio Blanc
USA: 1 Titi Lamositele, 2 Joe Taufete’e, 3 Dino Waldren, 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Nick Civetta, 6 John Quill, 7 Hanco Germishuys, 8 Cam Dolan, 9 Shaun Davies, 10 AJ MacGinty, 11 Marcel Brache (capt.), 12 Paul Lasike, 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Gannon Moore, 15 Will Magie 16 James Hilterbrand, 17 Chance Wenglewski, 18 Paul Mullen, 19 Nate Brakeley, 20 David Tameilau, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Tadhg Leader, 23 Dylan Audsley
USA Men’s Eagles Staff
- Head Coach Gary Gold
- Assistant Coach, Backs & Attack Greg McWilliams
- Assistant Coach, Forwards Shawn Pittman
- Strength & Conditioning Coach Huw Bevan
- Performance Analyst Jimmy Harrison
- Team Doctor Mark Sakr (Chile, Argentina Uruguay, Canada)
- Head Athletic Trainer Kevin Ng
- Assistant Athletic Trainer Kristen Douhan
- Team Manager Chris Hanson
Americas Rugby Championship 2019 Schedule
- Saturday, Feb. 2 vs Chile Preview in Santiago, CHL
- Saturday, Feb 9 vs Argentina XV at 3 PM ET in Rio Negro, ARG
- BYE WEEK
- Saturday, Feb 23 vs Brazil at 7:10 PM CT at Dell Diamond, Austin, TX Get Tickets
- Saturday, Mar 2 vs Uruguay at 7:10 PM PT at Starfire Sports, Seattle, WA Get Tickets
- Friday, Mar 8 vs Canada at 7:10 PM PT at Starfire Sports, Seattle, WA Get Tickets
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