Chile's young side proved too strong for Brazil in the latest stage of the Americas qualifying process for Rugby World Cup 2011, the home side running out 79-3 winners in the South American Championship encounter at the Colegio Mackay in Viña del Mar on Saturday.
With a squad featuring four members of the Under 20 side that had reached last year's IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy final in the match day 22 - Luka Salamunic, Francisco de la Fuente, Benjamín del Solar and Sebastián Avilés - Chile scored four tries in the first half.
Scrum half Tomás Olave scored the first two in the opening 20 minutes, before flanker Paul Marsalli increased that advantage. Fly half Lucas Rodriguez Luque kicked a penalty for Brazil just before the half hour, but wing José Luis Labbé crossed again for Chile. Full back Javier Valderrama converted all four tries and also kicked a penalty as the hosts led 32-3 at the break.
Forwards key to Chile win
Los Cóndores added further tries through second row Sergio Valdés (41), wing Pablo Llorens (2), Labbé and Valderrama with two penalty tries also awarded by Argentine referee Andrés Ramos. Valderrrama kicked another five conversions, with replacement Javier Reyes converting another score.
"The key to our win was the work of our forwards and our defence. We managed to put into practice on the field what we had trained for," said Chile head coach Daniel Graco after the match played before a crowd of 2,000. "Although it is sometimes difficult to maintain a high level of play, this is what we did throughout the game."
Brazil had begun their qualifying campaign last June with victory in the South American B Championship and had then overcome Caribbean champions Trinidad & Tobago over two legs in October, but they found things tough going against Chile.
"We lost our concentration at key times and also lost the forward battle. It was obvious that Chile play one step up from us. I feel sad for the players," said Brazil's French coach Pierre Paparemborde, whose side had previously been unbeaten in this qualifying campaign.
Uruguay too strong for Paraguay
Things do not get any easier for Brazil as they now travel to Montevideo to face Uruguay, who are bidding to qualify for a third successive Rugby World Cup, on Wednesday. Uruguay were also in action this weekend in the South American Championship against Paraguay.
Los Teros ran out convincing winners just as Chile had with an 85-7 victory over Paraguay at the Charrúa Stadium in Montevideo, although it was their visitors that scored the opening try through number 8 Diego Ayala to lead 7-3 after 10 minutes.
This proved to be their only score as Uruguay ran in four tries to lead 35-7 at half time, centre Alejandro Silveira, hooker Carlos Arboleya Sarazola, full back Francisco de Posadas and flanker Juan Pablo Horta all touching down as fly half Matías Arocena kicked 15 points.
The win already secured, Uruguay continued to pile on the points in the second half with number 8 Carlos Protasi, replacements Martín Espiga, Geronimo Etcheverry and Santiago Gibernau, second row Matías Fonseca, wing Nicolas Morales all crossing for tries while De Posadas also completed his hat-trick.
