1
Netherlands serve up huge Tier 2 upset as another World Cup side slayed
In another action-packed weekend, Netherlands has pulled off a massive upset as the European nation was able to defeat Chile in Amsterdam, while Romania kept their winning streak intact.
ADVERTISEMENT
Oranje cut short the Condores flight
In a match between the 27th and 21st nations of the World Rugby’s rankings, it was the former, Netherlands, who took the victory laurels thanks to an impressive defensive effort that kept Chile away from the try-line for most of the game.
Lyn Jones’s men were down three points after the first ten minutes, centre Santiago Videla giving Chile the lead. The home side eventually equalized and turned things around when the South Americans started committing several infringements, allowing for the talented Vikas Meijer to successfully convert two penalties.
🇳🇱 Netherlands trio from @SArugbyofficiel who helped their country to their first ever win over a RWC nation.
Tim de Jong, Boris Hadinegoro with his senior debut jersey, and next to him his captain Koen Bloemen in a contrast between small and tall. pic.twitter.com/LyszFa7ulT
— Tier 2 Rugby (@T2Rugby) November 17, 2024
With few seconds to go until half-time, the Condores had a breakthrough and were able to camp in the Dutch 22. After a series of attempts, it was Ernesto Tchimino who found the whitewash to help Chile pull ahead and go to the break with a 10-06 lead.
The scoreboard remained unchanged for most of the second half until Daan Van der Avoird managed to find space out wide to run through, with the wing diving in to give the Oranje a 13-07 lead.
The Delta Rugby speedster would score a brace with just ten minutes to go, with Meijer adding the extras.
ADVERTISEMENT
Pablo Lemoine’s Chile seemed lost and unable to counter the Netherlands’ tight and resilient defence, losing control of the ball when they were close to the try area.
As the game was nearing its end, Chile was able to add a second try to their tally, with Racing 92 Diego Escobar going down after a driving maul. Unfortunately for the South American side, it wasn’t enough, with the Netherlands remaining in the lead until the end.
Fiji survives an intense wrestle with the Leones
It took 60 minutes until Fiji was able to take the lead in their visit to the Estádio José Zorrilla in Valladolid, with the Pacific Nation side wrapping up the match with a 33-19 win against Spain.
The Spanish were the first team to open the scoreboard with Gonzalo López-Bontempo slotting down an easy penalty. In the restart, Fiji quickly captured the ball sending it to Ponepati Loganimasi’s direction, with the wing kicking it down and regathering it before dotting down for Fiji’s first try of the game. Caleb Muntz converted in the corner.
ADVERTISEMENT
Playing in front of their home crowd, Spain turned up the tempo and created more than a few ingenious plays to keep Fiji on their toes, with one of them ending in the Leones’ first and only try of the game. Scrum-half Tani Bay made an overhead kick and in the chase for the ball, Simione Kuruvoli punched the ball out. Match-official Morne Ferreira awarded a penalty try for Spain and sent off the Fijian nº9 with a yellow card.
Fiji trailed Spain at half-time by 10-07
In the return from the locker rooms, Spain was able to extend their lead thanks to Gonzalo López-Bontempo’s pinpoint kicking, with the fly-half converting one of those kicks from a 57-meter distance.
However, the visiting side didn’t let the pressure tick them off, rolling up their sleeves and putting Spain under heavy pressure. Sireli Maqala scored Fiji’s 2nd try, with the openside centre breaking free from a tackle to reach the whitewash.
Following Maqala’s try, Sam Matavesi, Waisea Nayacalevu and Temo Mayanavanua also wrote their names in the scoresheet, with Muntz converting the last three tries of the game.
Fiji secured a second win in their Autumn International campaign. For Spain, the fact they were able to corner Fiji shows promise ahead of their World Cup qualification. https://twitter.com/teledeporte/status/1857806834523861351
Romania’s victory song continues
After defeating Tonga in the past weekend, the Stejarii had enough gas in the tank to topple an exciting Canada team, with the home side netting a 35-27 win in Bucharest.
Canada scored first, following a penalty try due to a maul brought illegally down by the Romanian pack, leaving match-official Sam Grove-White with no choice.
Romania scored next, with scrum-half Alin Conache converting two penalties. Canada’s Peter Nelson kicked to the poles and extended his team’s lead again. The home side started to boss around the set-piece and after setting up a series of phases, Tevita Manumua ran unopposed to the try-line.
With the wind blowing at their backs, the Stejarii found their way into Canada’s half, with Alin Conache breaking the line. The No.9 gave the ball to Manumua with the wing assisting Cristi Chirica for the flanker to score his team’s second try of the match.
Nelson added an extra three points, but the North Americans went to half-time five points behind.
After a fifteen-minute rest, the Romanians kept the pace going, and successfully secured a third five-pointer, scored now by fullback Ovidiu Neagu, in one of the game’s best plays.
In the following thirty minutes, Canada and Romania traded blows, with both teams scoring two tries each. For the Canadians Lucas Rumball and Siôn Parry, whilst Yanis Horvat and Ovidiu Neagu scored for the home side.
Jason Tomane was ejected from the match just before the 70th minute for a high tackle offence but had no negative impact in Romania’s victory.
OTHER RESULTS:
Korea Republic 22-27 Zimbabwe
United Arab Emirates 20-26 Germany
Croatia 31-42 Sweden
Uganda 5-21 Kenya
I love my All Blacks, but it is great to see these emerging nations playing so well. Portugal for me were the most impressive nation at the last World Cup, they epitomised how the game could and should be played.