Uruguay and Samoa will meet for the first time in international rugby at Subiaco Oval in Perth on 15 October from 20:00 in the third game of Pool C.
Uruguay are placed 19th in the official IRB world rankings and opened RWC 2003 with a 72-6 loss to South Africa in Perth on 11 October. Samoa are yet to play a match at this Tournament and are ranked eighth in the world.
Samoa revealed their capabilities in RWC 1991, surprising everybody by beating Wales 16-13 to make the quarter finals and have since reached the knockout stages in both the 1995 and 1999 Tournaments.
While they are expected to beat Uruguay in this match, the Samoan path to the knockout phase appears blocked by England and South Africa, who are expected to qualify out of Pool C.
Uruguay have only ever won one RWC game, a 27-15 win over Spain in Scotland in 1999. Then captain Diego Ormaechea scored the winning try on that day and is now the national team coach.
Full strength Samoa
Samoa head coach John Boe announced a full strength team for the game, with no place in the 22 for former Highlanders Super 12 star Romi Ropati or Gloucester wing Ron Fanuatanu.
There is a spot however for veteran Brian Lima at inside centre in his fourth RWC. Another veteran Earl Va’a has won the fiercely contested battle for the fly half spot with rival Tanner Vili dropping back to full back.
The heavily tattooed Lome Fa’atau and the 193cm, 97kg, 20 year old newcomer Sailosi Tagicakibau will line up on the wings for Samoa.
Ormaechea rings changes
Uruguay will again rely on its scrum to set a platform with full time professional Pablo Lemoine the key figure as coach Ormaechea keeps faith with his front five against South Africa.
Ormaechea though has made changes at half back with 20 year old Juan Campomar set to make his Rugby World Cup debut at scrum half and Bernado Amarillo coming in at fly half.
Flanker Nicolas Grille and full back Juan Menchaca add their experience to the side, having missed the South Africa game after arriving late in Australia because of work commitments. Meanwhile speedy wing Carlos Baldasarri could be one to watch.
Teams:
Samoa: 1 Kas Lealamantu’a, 2 Jonathan Meredith, 3 Jeremy Tomuli, 4 Opeta Palepoi, 5 Leo Lafaiali’i, 6 Peter Poulos, 7 Maurie Fa’asavalu, 8 Semo Sititi (captain), 9 Steven So’oialo, 10 Earl Va’a, 11 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 12 Brian Lima, 13 Terry Fanolua, 14 Lome Fa’atau, 15 Tanner Vili.
Replacements: 16 Mahroni Schwalger, 17 Simon Lemalu, 18 Kitiona Viliamu, 19 Des Tuiavi’i, 20 Denning Tyrell, 21 Dale Rasmussen, 22 Dominic Feaunati.
Uruguay: 1 Rodrigo Sanchez, 2 Diego Lamelas, 3 Pablo Lemoine, 4 Juan Carlos, 5 Bado Juan Alzueta, 6 Marcelo Gutierrez, 7 Nicolas Grille, 8 Rodrigo Capo 9 Juan Campomar, 10 Bernardo Amarillo, 11 Carlos Baldasarri, 12 Martin Mendaro, 13 Diego Aguirre (captain), 14 Joaquin Pastore, 15 Juan Menchaca.
Replacements: 16 Juan Andres Perez, 17 Juan Machado, 18 Juan Miguel Alvarez, 19 Nicolas Brigoni, 20 Ignacio Conti, 21 Joaquin de Freitas, 22 Jose Vina.
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