VANCOUVER — Canada couldn’t hang on to an early 10-point lead and fell 38-29 to Uruguay in a Rugby World Cup qualifying match Saturday.
Locks Ignacio Dotti and Rodrigo Capo both scored second-half tries while outside-half Felipe Berchesi added a penalty kick as Uruguay won the opening match of the two-leg qualifier before an announced attendance of 16,132 at BC Place Stadium.
The teams play again Feb. 3 in Montevideo. The winner of the two-game aggregate series advances to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Canada trailed 21-17 at halftime but took a 24-21 lead early in the second after being awarded a penalty try when Uruguay was called for collapsing a maul. Uruguay loose head German Kessler was sent off for 10 minutes with a yellow card.
Uruguay took a 28-24 lead when Canadian wing Jeff Hassler mishandled a ball. Dotti snagged it out of the air and raced for a try.
Fullback Rodrigo Silva, wing Leandro Leivas, and tighthead Mario Sagario also scored tries for Uruguay. Berchesi kicked the converts but missed three out of four penalty kicks.
Center Nick Blevins scored for Canada with just under 10 minutes to cut the lead to six points. Phil Mack’s convert attempt missed.
Blindside Evan Olmstead and wing DTH van der Merwe scored Canadian tries. Outside-half Connor Braid kicked a pair of converts and added a penalty kick before limping off with a bad ankle late in the first half.
Uruguay got off to a quick start when Silva scored a try in the opening minute.
The Canadians answered with 17 straight points. Olmstead crashed into the end zone with just over 18 minutes gone. Braid made it 10-7 on a penalty kick before a nice pitch by centre Ben Lesage set up van der Merwe’s try.
Uruguay battled with a pair of tries with Sagario scoring in injury time.
Canada is currently ranked 21st in the world while Uruguay is 18th.
Canada lost 17-13 the last time the teams met but has an 8-3 record in 11 games dating back to 1995.
If Canada losses the series against Uruguay, the team has one more chance to qualify for the World Cup through a repechage series.
NOTES: Canada has never failed to qualify for a World Cup since entering the international stage in 1932. … The team that advances from this series will play in Group D at the World Cup against No. 4 Australia, No. 7 Wales, No. 10 Fiji and No. 12 Georgia. … Canada has given up a total of 241 points in the five previous matches.
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