Chile advanced to Rugby World Cup action for the first time Saturday, winning the relegation pool in two legs, beating hosts USA, 31-29. The host United States was only one victory away from reaching the Rugby World Cup 2023, as it hosted Chile last Saturday in the second leg of its two-leg playoff to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Chile will line up in Pool D of Rugby World Cup 2023 after overcoming a 20-point deficit on aggregate to defeat the hosts U.S. at Glendale on Saturday. Los Condores qualified for Rugby World Cup 2023 for the first time in their history following their victory.
Chile has made a valiant effort to reach this point and has already upset the pillar of the World Cup the following year, as they knocked off Canada last October, with the Canucks set to miss out on the tournament for the first time in its history. Uruguay has already defied expectations in denying Canada their first-ever World Cup spot in competition history, recording their first-ever victory against Les Rouges in the Copa America 2 knockout stage, setting up a matchup against the U.S. in Round 5 that would determine the continent’s second automatic qualifying slot.
Chile upsets America on its home soil and cements Chiles’s first-ever World Cup trip in next year’s edition. In this case, it means the Eagles will head to the final qualifying tournament at the end of this year, where they will need to beat Portugal, Kenya, and either Tonga or Hong Kong for their place in Pool C, containing Australia, Wales, Fiji, and Georgia.
In the 11th minute, Martin Iosefo lobbed the ball forward, and Ruben de Haas touched it back to Iosefo for the try, which MacGinty converted. In the 24th minute, Iosefo dived into the side over the try line, and MacGinty converted to make it 14-0, and MacGinty got another try in the 31st minute. However, the Eagles had secured when Nick Civetta was sin-binned in the 32nd minute. Chile pulled within 19-14 at halftime thanks to Marcelo Torrealba’s attempts in the 35th minute and Matias Garafulic in the 39th minute, both converted by Videla.
Organisers will undoubtedly be hoping that it is the United States who comes out on top of November’s Final Qualification Tournament as they seek to build momentum for World Cups in 2031 and 2033, both held in the United States. In front of 4,000 fans in Glendale, Colo., Chiles Condores defeated the U.S. Eagles, 31-29, in an exuberant game, ensuring their spot at France next year, 52-51 in the two qualifying matches combined.
