Uruguay Profile
Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:34
Colours: Light Blue
Nickname: Los Teros
Honours: Qualifying for the 1999 Rugby World Cup and the 2003 Rugby World Cup
Coach: Diego Ormaechea,the most-capped player in Uruguay rugby history, was 40 when he proudly led his side in the 1999 Rugby World Cup. In 2001 he took over as coach. He instilled in the team the pride and passion he had so often shown as a player.
Captain: Diego Aguirre is a veteran of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, when he played in all three of the Los Teros' matches and finished as the team's top points-scorer. The sturdy fly-half was recently shifted to inside centre to accommodate his younger brother Sebastian in the No.10 jersey.
Player(s) to watch: Prop Pablo Lemoine is one of the few who has a professional contract in Europe. The 28-year-old is a member of the Stade Francais squad.
Profile: Living in the shadows of Argentina, across the River Plate, is Uruguay, a soccer-mad country which is rapidly developing an interest in rugby, thanks in no small measure to reaching the final tounrmanet in of the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
Before that its main claim to rugby fame had been the crash of the Old Christians Club in the Andes on their way back from Santiago, Chile, and the stories of how a few survived, the subject of books and the famous film Alive.
The first signs of growing ability was against Argentina in the PanAmerican Cup in 2001.
Argentina opened up a 19-0 lead before allowing Los Teros, as the Uruguayans are called from a bird unique to the country, to claw back to within five points - losing 32-27 -- the closest match in 28 outings between the neighbouring countries. Uruguay coach Daniel Herrera said following the game: "I am very pleased but when you have this opportunity, after the game I am quite sad," said the emotional coach. "For the way we played in the second half we could have won. I think that we had lots of lost opportunities."
The rest of the competition was a disappointment with only a victory over Chile to show for it. For the rest Uruguay lost to Canada and the USA and also to Spain and Italy.
The most capped player is Diego Ormaechea, who was 40 when he proudly took his side to the World Cup and led them to victory over other newcomers, Spain.
The player who has achieved most is Pablo Lemone who played for Bristol before moving to Stade Français.
Players such as Martin Mendaro, wing Emilliano Ibarra, and fullback Juan Menchaca are all showing the type of development that will pay dividends as the tiny country managed to qualify for the 2003 World Cup.
