Warren Gatland’s team knew they had to tackle host nation England, two-time winners Australia and Fiji in next year’s competition, but it wasn’t until the end of the two-legged tie between Uruguay and Russian that they knew who would complete their Pool.
Heading into the match, Russia had a tenuous one-point lead, after edging the first leg 22-21 in Krasnoyarsk two weeks ago, but in front of a packed crowd of around 14,000 at Estadio Charrua in the Uruguayan capital the home team overturned that slender deficit and, in the process, emulated the success of previous national sides, who qualified for the Rugby World Cups in 1999 and 2003.
Russia had seemed in control for large periods of the game and the first half was heading towards a 12-12 stalemate before a late penalty awarded to the visitors just outside the home 22 was quickly tapped by the ever-aware fly-half Yuri Kushnarev when the defence thought a kick at goal was on the cards.
Kushnarev drew the winger on the left and put scrum-half Alexander Yanyushkin in to the corner for an opportunistic try that silenced the hitherto vociferous home support.
With the conversion missed, the Russians nonetheless went into the break buoyant, leading 17-12, an aggregate lead of six points. But despite a lead-stretching penalty by Kushnarev shortly after half-time, Los Teros hit back with three devastating tries.
Centre Joaquin Prada, prop Alejo Corral and scrum-half Agustin Ormaechea all crossed the Russian line and all three scores were converted by Berchesi. The match was turned on its head and, try as they might, Russia couldn’t find a way back into the game.
Even though wing Vasily Artemyev scored a converted try in the 77th minute, it was not enough to rescue his side an it was the Uruguyans’ who marched into the tournament next year.
