Young Islanders the ones to beat
Fiji and Tonga enjoy wins on Dday Two of U19 World Championship
Fiji, Tonga, Georgia and Uruguay are the four teams still unbeaten after the second round of fixtures in Division B of the U19 World Championship in Dubai on Saturday.
Fiji anjoyed a rampant 48-3 win over the USA, while Tonga did well to beat Canada 29-14. Georgia squezed past Namibia 14-6, while Uruguay conquered Russia 21-3.
The performance of the day came from Italy though, who smashed Chinese Taipei 107-0. Chile beat Korea 33-10 in the day's other match.
Reports:
Fiji 48-3 USA
A second half hat-trick from centre Tomasi Mawi helped spark Fiji to a convincing win over a brave USA side and secure their second successive triumph in Division B of the IRB Under 19 World Championship in windy conditions at the Dubai Exiles.
Mawi had fellow centre Osea Namatalevu to thank for his first two scores, taking well-timed passes to accelerate into space on long weaving runs. He then completed his treble in style with a fine solo effort, beating several defenders from 50 metres out.
Fiji led only 12-0 at the break. First on the score sheet was full back Isireli Buadomo in the sixth minute after fly half Rokodaini Bativagone twice contributed to the build-up, but several opportunities to extend the lead were wasted before No 8 Netava Ravouvou drove over for a try from a scrum.
The USA ended the half on the attack and were twice held up over the line as Fiji defended with great determination.
Chris Lind retrieved three points for the USA early in the second half with a nicely judged kick into the wind, but that was the signal for Fiji to cut loose.
Wing Seremaia Tagicakibau polished off another flowing counter-attack with hooker and captain Andrew Durutalo displaying his running skills to establish a 24-3 lead.
The USA tried desperately to stem the flow and tackled with great heart and determination, but Fijian surged forward relentlessly and Mawi took full advantage of the extra space on offer to claim three tries in just eight minutes to put the result beyond doubt.
The last try of the night came from replacement Jeke Lalai two minutes from time. The victory takes Fiji to the top of Division B on points difference. They now meet Russia at Exiles on Wednesday, while the USA take on Chinese Taipei in Sharjah on the same night.
Canada 14-29 Tonga
Tonga made it two wins out of two in Division B of the IRB Under 19 World Championship, subduing a committed Canadian outfit in a game at the Dubai Exiles that was closer than the final score suggests.
The South Sea islanders enjoyed the rub of the green with an interception try in each half, but they also had the edge up front and were well served by an extremely physical defence which made it difficult for Canada to get across the gain line.
Canada opened the scoring thanks to an early penalty from Andrew Buxton-Forman, but Tonga gradually began to dominate territorially and pressure told when patient phase play resulted in a gap opening up for centre Siosifa Talakai to score a converted try.
Mobile prop Viliami Pola almost carved out a second try with a strong burst before the ball went loose in the tackle. But the score eventually came, albeit fortuitously, when a floated pass was intercepted some 40 metres out by winger Michael Uhatahi, who sprinted away for a converted try to make the half-time score 14-3.
Buxton-Forman’s second penalty gave Canada an early boost in the second half only for Tonga to respond almost immediately with a try from skipper Paula Havea, who picked up at the back of a scrum 20 metres out and powered clear for an unconverted try.
Buxton-Forman and Samisioni Fisilau traded penalties before Canada cashed in on their extra man advantage following the sin-binning of hooker Tavite Mafi with a try wide out on the left for wing Jack Durling.
Sensing a comeback win, Canada turned up the heat and put Tonga under terrific pressure in their own 22. But just as it seemed that the North Americans were set to score, wing Viliami Hakalo intercepted a loose pass and scorched away from some 80 metres out for a converted try to end those thoughts.
Canada conclude their group schedule by facing Korea at the Exiles on Wednesday while Tonga face top seeds Georgia at Sharjah Wanderers on the same day.
Georgia 14-6 Namibia
Georgia just shaded this close game with Namibia to remain unbeaten in Division B of the IRB Under 19 World Championship at Sharjah Wanderers.
With possession split evenly, neither team could fathom any real chances. Namibia could have stormed into a nine-point lead within the first 20 minutes, but owing to the swirling winds the penalty kicks were unsuccessful.
Georgia opened the scoring soon after with their forward pack slicing through the Namibian defence like a hot knife through butter to pile over the line, prop Giorgi Lomsadze emerging as the try scorer.
As the wind died down in the picturesque sunset over Sharjah, the Namibian kicking improved and they clawed the score back to 7-6 with two penalties from full back Fabian Routh.
The second half proceeded in a similar fashion, both teams cancelling each other. The key moment came 17 minutes in when the strong Georgian forwards drove towards the try line and, despite brave efforts from Namibia, flanker Vakhtang Mdzinarishvili touched down.
Georgia’s victory leaves them third in Division B behind Fiji and Tonga, the latter being their next opponents at Sharjah on Wednesday. Namibia now meet Chile at the same venue.
Uruguay 21-3 Russia
A late scoring burst from Uruguay created a score line that reflected the consistent pressure they exerted for most of this IRB Under 19 World Championship Division B match against Russia at Sharjah Wanderers.
With injury time looming, only three points separated the two sides and the Russians looked capable of sneaking a result when they managed to break out of their own half.
But a Uruguayan try on the stroke of normal time just about settled the issue, and a drop goal a minute later made it 14-3 to the South Americans and put the end result beyond any doubt.
Replacement centre Alberto Roman went over for the try and although full back Denis Rey missed the conversion, the drop goal from fly half Jeronimo Etcheverry was the clincher.
A second try by centre and captain Santiago di Meo just before the final whistle, converted by Etcheverry from a difficult corner position, gave the Uruguayans a very respectable score line and back-to back wins in the tournament so far.
Against the run of play, Russia led 3-0 at half-time, courtesy of a 26-minute penalty by full back Ilya Podborskiy, but that was to be their only scoring contribution of the evening.
Etcheverry levelled with a penalty 11 minutes into the second half, and the Uruguayans went ahead when Alberico Passadore put another penalty away 20 minutes later.
Uruguay now face Italy at Dubai Exiles on Wednesday in the final round of pool matches, while Russia take on unbeaten Fiji at the same venue.
Chinese Taipei 0-107 Italy
Italy clocked up the highest score so far in the IRB Under 19 World Championship by scoring 17 tries against Chinese Taipei in this Division B match at Sharjah Wanderers.
With 64 points on the board at half-time, the Italians resumed where they left off and rattled in a succession of tries to leave their youthful opponents floundering.
The 100 points barrier was reached in the 48th minute and the Italians then seemed justifiably content to ease off and restrain themselves from inflicting further punishment.
To their credit, Chinese Taipei kept gamely plugging away, always running the ball on the rare occasions that they took possession and showing deft handling skills that were at odds with the scoreboard, but no avail.
Italian fly half Giulio Rubini was a constant threat, setting off on mazy runs of his own or linking seamlessly with his backline colleagues to run Chinese Taipei ragged in vain attempts to stem the tide.
Ten first half tries and seven conversions were followed by seven tries and four conversions in the second with Rubini the top scorer with one try and 11 conversions.
Italy’s other tries came from Andrea Bachetti (3), Filippo Vezzosi (2), Pietro Valcastelli (2), Eugenio Martinelli (2), Simone Favaro (2) and one apiece from captain Alberto Dal Corso, Nicola Pedrazzani, Gabriele Turroni, Luca Beccaris, and Filippo Cristiano.
Italy next play Uruguay at Dubai Exiles on Wednesday, while Chinese Taipei take on the USA at Sharjah Wanderers on the same night.
Chile 33-10 Korea
A scintillating second half display which saw two tries scored in as many minutes set up a polished 33-10 win for Chile over Korea in the IRB Under 19 World Championship at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Club.
Locked 10-10 at half-time, the game hung desperately in the balance before a penalty goal minutes after the break and two quick tries to captain Juan Pablo Perrotta and Mariano Delpech sealed victory for a spirited Chile outfit.
However the first half could have gone either way with both teams determined to hold the upper hand in this Division B encounter.
Despite being on the end of relentless pressure and virtually starved of the ball in the opening 15 minutes, Korea held strong and were first to cross the line thanks to their powerful No 8 Yu Hoon Kim.
The celebrating was short lived though as Chile hit straight back after a brilliant passage of play saw the ball pass through several sets of hands to eventually allow Ricardo Sifri to dive over in the corner.
Chile’s momentum continued and Benjamin Del Solar’s try put them ahead for the first time in the game.
The free flowing battle saw both teams wrestle for the advantage and Korea’s persistence was eventually rewarded when wing Dool Kim skirted over in the shadows of half-time.
The early stages of the second half were all Chile though and their entertaining style paid huge dividends.
The trusty boot of Benjamin Omegna also ensured Korea were never going to be within striking distance with the fly half kicking three penalties in the second half.
Chile will now take on Namibia at the Sharjah Wanderers on Wednesday, while Korea square off against Canada at the Dubai Exiles.