Rugby-World Cup-Uruguay

URUGUAY

World ranking: 19

Unfancied and rank outsiders, Uruguay have previously beaten only one of the teams in their pool, Georgia, and will probably count it a good tournament to return home with a single addition to their World Cup win column.

Having qualified by beating Canada over two legs in the Americas repechage, Uruguay open their campaign with what are sure to be physical encounters with Fiji and Georgia only four days apart.

Ignacio Chans, author of a book on the team, told Reuters that only 18 of the Uruguayan players are fulltime professionals and of the 15 who play overseas, 11 play are in the U.S., three in France and one in England.

The advantage of having so many home-based players is that it is easier to get them into training camps and Los Teros – Spanish for the southern lapwing, Uruguay's national bird - expect to arrive in Japan fit and raring to go.

Scrumhalf Agustin and number eight Juan Diego are the sons of Diego Ormaechea, widely considered the greatest Uruguayan rugby player, and both will go to Japan hoping some of their father's brilliance has rubbed off.

COACH

Esteban Meneses (Argentina)

The former flanker has brought his deep knowledge of Argentine rugby to bear on their close neighbours since taking over almost four years ago and led Uruguay to their maiden World Rugby Nations Cup triumph on home soil in 2017.

Meneses has transformed Los Teros into a team that more closely resembles the more powerful Pumas, with a resolute defence backed up by an attack that is now quicker and more willing to take risks.

KEY PLAYER

Felipe Berchesi

The France-based flyhalf is the man who makes Los Teros tick and the 28-year-old will be embarking on his second World Cup campaign in Japan.

Berchesi is one of the few players in the squad who plays his club rugby outside South America and with 32 tests under his belt, has experience of the big occasion.

The US Dax playmaker's greatest strength is his kicking, whether from the tee or from the hand, but he also passes well off both hands and showed in the 68-7 loss to the Fijians last November that he could take hits from the big men of the game.

Captain: Juan Manuel Gaminara

Squad:

Forwards - Facundo Gattas, Joaquin Jaunsolo, Mateo Sanguinetti, German Kessler, Guillermo Pujadas, Diego Arbelo, Juan Echeverria, Juan Pedro Rombys, Ignacio Dotti, Manuel Leindekar, Diego Magno, Franco Lamana, Manuel Ardao, Santiago Civetta, Manuel Diana, Juan Manuel Gaminara, Juan Diego Ormaechea, Alejandro Nieto

Backs - Agustin Ormaechea, Santiago Arata, Felipe Berchesi, Felipe Etcheverry, Juan Manuel Cat, Santiago Vilaseca, Agustin Della Corte, Tomas Inciarte, Federico Favaro, Nicolas Freitas, Leandro Leivas, Gaston Mieres, Rodrigo Silva.

WORLD CUP RECORD

W - 2, L - 9, D - 0

Tournaments: 3

Last World Cup: Pool stage (2015)

Best finish: Pool stage (1999, 2003, 2015)

WORLD CUP POOL D FIXTURES

Sept 25 Fiji v Uruguay Kamaishi

Sept 29 Georgia v Uruguay Kumagaya

Oct 5 Australia v Uruguay Oita

Oct 13 Wales v Uruguay Kumamoto

RESULTS IN 2019

Feb 2 Uruguay 20-17 Canada

Feb 8 Uruguay 20-5 Chile

Mar 2 U.S. 25-32 Uruguay

Mar 9 Uruguay 42-20 Brazil

Jun 4 Uruguay 48-26 Russia

Jun 9 Uruguay 28-30 Namibia

Jun 22 Uruguay 21-41 Spain (Compiled by Rohith Nair and Andrew Downie, editing by Nick Mulvenney)