The United States beat Uruguay 19-16 in the first leg of the America zone of the 2023 World Cup, and therefore took a small step towards France, ahead of the second leg next Saturday.
Game one in the books. pic.twitter.com/bkGV4a2E0P
— USA Rugby (@USARugby) October 3, 2021
Which team will be called “America 1” since the draw for the group stage of the 2023 World Cup on December 14? The United States and Uruguay face each other at the beginning of October in a two-way match, and the winner of the confrontation will be placed in group A, alongside New Zealand, France, from Italy and the winner of the qualifiers for the Africa zone. The Americans took a small option, winning 19-16 in the first leg at Glendale, Colo. They scored tries thanks to Cam Dolan (20th) and Christian Dyer (40th) to lead 14-3 at half-time, then it was Mika Kruse who spun in the in-goal in the 50th (19- 3). Team USA then thought they were safe, but they were very scared during the last half hour, the Uruguayans coming back to score thanks to two penalties, then a try scored in the 78th by Guillermo Pujadas.
Christian Dyer just loves to score, doesn’t he? pic.twitter.com/JE8SLxOjAt
— USA Rugby (@USARugby) October 3, 2021
Seven more tickets to distribute for the World Cup
So it’s only a two-point victory, which could be crippling in view of the second leg, which will take place next Saturday in Montevideo. Apart from that of 1995, the United States have participated in all editions of the World Cup, while the Uruguayans have only experienced four, in 1999, 2003, 2015 and 2019. The team that will lose this jump-off will not yet be definitively eliminated, since it will be entitled to another jump-off, in July 2022, against the winner of the jump-off between Canada and Chile (22-21 in the first leg for the Canadians ). In addition to the two American teams, the World Cup qualifiers will still have to determine two European teams (this will be played between Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain and the Netherlands), an Asia team -Pacific (Tonga or Hong Kong or Malaysia or South Korea), an African team (Namibia or Burkina Faso or Zimbabwe or Ivory Coast or Senegal or Algeria or Uganda or Kenya) and another team coming from the final tournament of November 2022 between the Africa 2, America 3, Europe 3 and Asia / Pacific 2 teams.
