Uruguay received a bye to the final round of the Americas zone qualifiers, but by mid August 2002 their hopes of a second Rugby World Cup appearance looked unlikely after defeats by Chile, Canada and the United States on the road.
However Los Teros, as the national side are known, rediscovered their winning ways at home in Montevideo to beat their three rivals – including first ever victories against Canada (25-23) and the USA (10-9) – to qualify automatically as runners-up.
Uruguay made their Rugby World Cup debut in 1999, having qualified through Repechage with victories over Portugal and Morocco, their first game against fellow newcomers Spain at Galashiels in Scotland.
It would be a winning debut for Uruguay with captain Diego Ormaechea, the oldest player in Rugby World Cup history at 40, having the honour of scoring his country’s first try in the tournament to set them on the road to a 27-15 victory.
Ormaechea, who retired after that Rugby World Cup, is the most famous player in the history of Uruguayan rugby, his bone-crunching defence and total commitment to the cause having seen him win a record 66 caps and score a record 14 tries over 22 years.
Rugby World Cup 1999 was undoubtedly Uruguay’s proudest rugby moment, although they came close to another highlight two years later when they narrowly lost 32-27 to Argentina in the Pan-American Championship – their closest ever game.
Uruguayan rugby was famously victim to the Andes plane crash in 1972. The members of the Old Christians Rugby Club were on their way to play in Chile when their plane crashed in the mountains leaving a group of 16 to survive for 72 against all the elements.
Uruguay are now coached by the inspirational Ormaechea, whose former team-mates Diego Aguirre and Pablo Lemoine are key members of the current squad.