Fast Facts:
Players: 8,554
RWC Results: Third in Pool 1999,2003
IRB World Ranking: 19 63.58
Best Result 2014: Vs. Russia 36-27
Coach: Pablo Lemoine
Captain:Nicolás Klappenbach
Culture
The Union of Rugby in Uruguay began in 1948 marking the initiation of the international team, however the sport had been played long before that. The origins of the sport in Uruguay are still debated some say rugby was brought by British railway engineers constructing railroads across the flat region of South America known as the pampas. The pampas region covers most of southern Uruguay, and eastern Argentina. It is no surprise that these two nations went on to become the best rugby nations in South America. Others believe British Christian schools and cricket clubs originally began the sport in the nation. Uruguayan rugby is represented by the tero, an indigenous bird that is embroidered on all the players jerseys the team is nicknamed los teros. Los teros also have a dark past; in 1972 the Uruguayan rugby team were flying over the Andes when the plane crashed. Most died, however the survivors of the crash were hardly better off, they lived by rationing off meagre food supplies for weeks, although eventually the group decided to resort to cannibalism, it was a particularly difficult decision because most were teammates, and all were very religious.
Play Style
Uruguay have a very similar tactic to Argentina, the team specialises at the scrum which will make for an entertaining match up against the experienced packs of England and Wales.
Gustavo Fernando Duúran
Luis Orviedo Ortiz