“Uruguay banged their fists on the table for their entry into the Rugby World Cup. Yes, they lost 27-12 against France, but it was the team that was applauded [Thursday September 14] in Lille. » The Uruguayan media El Observador can only share its “pure pride” at the end of the match of its national team, the Teros, who managed to play “on equal terms against a power” of world rugby, the XV of France .
Six days after their inaugural victory against the All Blacks in Saint-Denis, Fabien Galthié’s Blues faced a team “which has ten times less budget” and promised a big defeat, continues the special correspondent of El Observador in France , Ignacio Chans. “No one gave Uruguay”, the 17th nation in the world, a chance, adds The Guardian, a British daily.
“On the Lille field, in pitiful condition, with clumps of grass that stood up after each scrum,” France nevertheless stammered in its rugby, observes the Argentinian newspaper La Nacion. The fault lies with a Uruguayan opponent full of “aggressiveness and combativeness”, specifies The Guardian.
The Teros go out “with their heads held high”
The French were even reduced to 14 in the 27th minute after the yellow card inflicted on the giant second row Romain Taofifénua, guilty of a high shoulder tackle on the spinning scrum-half Santiago Arata.
“The video refereeing bunker [a new rule that allows officials behind their screens to decide whether or not to convert a yellow card to a red, i.e., a permanent expulsion] reviewed the action and determined that it was not worth a red. Questionable”, squeaks La Nacion, while the refereeing decisions have raised many questions since the start of the competition.
Less than half an hour from the end of the match, the Blues had only a small point lead on the scoreboard (13-12), to everyone’s surprise. “The South Americans manhandled their opponents and dominated them in many ways, scoring two tries worthy of the most accomplished teams,” greets Michael Aylwin, rugby editor of the Guardian. It was only in the last ten minutes, with a try from [winger] Louis Bielle-Biarrey, that France was able to secure victory with a minimum of confidence. »
However, due to not having scored more than four tries, the French XV left the offensive bonus point on the way. The Blues will have to correct their indiscipline – fifteen penalties were whistled against them, even though they had made discipline one of the keys to their success – against Namibia, their next opponent, on September 21, in Marseille .
As for the Teros, they leave “with their heads held high” from the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (North), located not far from Lille, savors Montevideo’s other major daily newspaper, El Pais. “But already thinking about Italy”, which they will challenge on September 20, in Nice. It will be “a key duel to determine third place in Group A, synonymous with direct qualification for the 2027 Australian World Cup”. And to permanently place Uruguay at the highest international level.
