Uruguay and Romania share the spoils in an end-to-end draw
Uruguay and Romania could not be separated at Estadio Charrúa, playing out a 36-36 draw in Round 2 of the World Rugby Nations Cup in a match that produced 11 tries and a finish that left both sides reflecting on what got away. For the hosts, a losing position turned into a late rescue. For the visitors, a strong afternoon slipped through their fingers in the closing quarter.
It was a shootout from the first whistle, and the scoreboard barely stopped moving. Uruguay trailed at the break, stayed behind for much of the second half, and needed a converted try inside the final 10 minutes to level things up. Both teams walked away with points, but neither will feel entirely satisfied.
A frantic opening
Felipe Arcos Perez crossed inside the first minute, Jean Cotarmanac'h converted, and Uruguay were 7-0 up before Romania had settled. The visitors did not blink. Alin Conache kicked a penalty, then Iliesa Tiqe and Tevita Manumua struck in quick succession, and by the 16th minute Logan Weidner had added another to put Romania 22-7 clear.
That early spell set the tone. Uruguay, for all their possession, were being cut open. Romania scored four first-half tries from limited ball, a pattern that carried through the afternoon: the visitors made far fewer carries but were clinical when the chance came.
The hosts steadied before half-time. Joaquin Suarez darted over on 18 minutes and Joaquin Myszka got the first of his three on 22, and Uruguay went in trailing 22-17. Given how the opening had gone, that was a reasonable position to be in.
Romania keep finding answers
The second half opened the way the first had, with Romania scoring. Stefan Buruiana went over three minutes after the restart, Conache converted, and the lead was back out to 29-17.
Myszka's second try on 52 minutes kept the hosts in touch, and the contest tightened when Romania lost Alexandru Savin to a yellow card on 63 minutes. Uruguay took advantage almost immediately, Myszka completing his hat-trick to make it 27-29, with Cotarmanac'h levelling matters at 29-29 with the conversion.
Just as it looked as though momentum had swung, Manumua grabbed his second on 67 minutes and Conache's conversion nudged Romania back ahead at 36-29. A second Romania yellow, this time for replacement Vlad Neculau, again handed Uruguay a numerical edge.
The late leveller
With Romania down to 14, the pressure told. Manuel Ardao forced his way over on 71 minutes, and Cotarmanac'h held his nerve to convert and make it 36-36. There was still time for either side to find a winner, but neither could, and the match finished level.
The discipline count mattered. Romania conceded 14 penalties to Uruguay's nine and picked up two yellow cards, and both sin-bin spells came during a decisive stretch of the second half as Uruguay fought back to draw level.
Standout performers
A few individual efforts stood out on both sides:
- Manuel Diana was Uruguay's most influential carrier. The number eight made 23 carries for 92 metres, beat 13 defenders and made three clean breaks.
- Joaquin Myszka took his chances near the line, finishing with three tries while also helping Uruguay to a perfect lineout return, with 16 lineout throws won credited to him.
- Tevita Manumua was Romania's finisher, scoring twice and making two clean breaks from limited touches.
- Hinckley Vaovasa contributed heavily at both ends for the visitors, making 64 metres, beating six defenders and putting in 14 tackles.
The team numbers underline the shape of the contest. Uruguay had 65 per cent possession and made 118 carries to Romania's 76, beating 33 defenders to 23. Romania, meanwhile, were forced into 162 tackles compared with Uruguay's 67, a measure of just how much defending they had to do.
What it means
There was plenty for Romania to take from the performance. They defended for long spells, stayed sharp in attack and led for much of the second half against a side with more of the ball. Cosmin Manole made 14 tackles, Buruiana added 13 tackles and a try, and Vaovasa brought real spark behind the pack.
The frustration is that they had the win in their grasp and could not close it out. The two yellow cards and the penalty count hurt them badly. The draw moved Romania up to fourth in Pool A on four points, while Uruguay sit fifth on five points in Pool B after two rounds.
Looking ahead
Uruguay next face Hong Kong, while Romania meet Samoa. On this evidence, both have the attacking tools to trouble opponents, but each will want to tidy up the moments that cost them here.
For a match with 72 points and 11 tries, it was fitting that nobody could quite put it away.