tawandamusarurwa
Online Reporter
Zimbabwe Under-20……………………. 14
Uruguay Under-20………………………… (17) 51
SHAUN DE SOUZA cut the figure of a distraught man shortly after watching his Zimbabwe Under-20 side go down to Uruguay at Nyayo National Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
It was the second defeat in row, after the Junior Sables were similarly outclassed and outplayed by Scotland.
This time the Barthes Trophy champions conceded six tries to give the South American team a bonus point.
Zimbabwe got off to a bright start, as tries from eighthman Shingi Manyarara and Edward Sigauke gave them an early 14-nil lead inside the opening 20 minutes of the game.
Zimbabwe fullback Benoni Nhekairo converted both tries.
Indiscipline then reared its ugly head again, as Zimbabwe gave away two penalty tries and saw three players yellow-carded.
These included replacement Gerry Zisengwe, Sigauke and Leo Mutendi, who all spent 10 separate minutes in the sin bin for varying offences.
Uruguay then punished Zimbabwe with tries from Jeronimo Noseda, Dante Soto, Guillermo Juan Storace and Alfonso Chahnazaroff.
Uruguay flyhalf Juan Bautista Crisci chipped in with three conversions and penalties, while fullback Icaro Amarillo added another conversion and penalty.
“We had a plan for this game but, unfortunately, we did not follow through and put pressure on ourselves,” said De Souza after the match.
“We just did not have the legs to take us through, but it is one of those things and we take the hit and move on to the next game.
“Our next assignment is against the USA and, hopefully, we will be able to do well and see where it puts us on the play-offs.”
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter