Nineteen months ago Jerónimo Etcheverry was celebrating winning the inaugural IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy with Uruguay's Under 20s, but come Sunday he could have played no small part in Los Teros qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2011.
The 21-year-old made his international debut in November 2008 and gave his Uruguayan side a lifeline going into the second leg of their Americas play-off with USA by scoring 13 points in the last six minutes to make the final score 27-22.
Arriving in Florida with an 18-point deficit to overturn at the Broward County Regional Park against a side they have only beaten once in 11 meetings would have been a huge mountain to climb, but Etcheverry's late flurry gives them hope.
The USA Eagles may be favourites given their impressive record against Uruguay, but Los Teros will field the most experienced starting line up with 331 caps between them compared to their host's 223.
USA coach Eddie O'Sullivan has kept faith with the same squad who took to the field at the Charrúa Stadium in Montevideo last weekend for a match he has described as a one-off final.
All to play for
"With just a five-point spread between the teams we have to approach this game as a one-off final," admitted O'Sullivan, who took charge the Eagles earlier this year. "As far as we are concerned the score is 0-0 with 80 minutes remaining. It's all to play for."
His Uruguay counterpart Felipe Puig has made two changes to his starting line up, dropping wings Leandro Leivas and Martín Crosa out of the squad completely with Alejandro Oliveira and Tomás Jolivet stepping up from the bench to fill the voids.
Puig has added two other members of Uruguay's IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy winning side of 2008 in wing Santiago Gibernau - who boasts a record of four tries in as many caps - and the uncapped centre Juan de Freitas, the later having also been played for Los Teritos at this year's IRB TOSHIBA Junior World Championship.
The side emerging victorious on aggregate over the two legs will qualify for Rugby World Cup 2011 as Americas 2 and join two-time champions Australia, Ireland, Italy and Europe 2 in Pool C in New Zealand. The loser will have one last chance to qualify through the cross-continental play-off.
Match details
USA: 1. Matekitonga Moeakiola 2. Phil Thiel 3. Will Johnson 4. John Van der Geissen 5. Hayden Smith 6. Louis Stanfill 7. Todd Clever (captain) 8. Nick Johnson 9. Tim Usasz 10. Mike Hercus 11. Kevin Swiryn 12. Junior Sifa 13. Paul Emerick 14. Takudzwa Ngwenya 15. Chris Wyles.
Replacements: 16. Brian McClenahan 17. Jacob Sprague 18. Alec Parker 19. Jonathan Gagiano 20. Mike Petri 21. Nese Malifa 22. Pate Tuilevuka.
URUGUAY: 1. Rodrigo Sanchez 2. Martín Espiga 3. Mario Sagario 4. Matías Fonseca 5. Carlos Protasi 6. Nicolás Brignioni 7. Alfredo Giuria 8. Rodrigo Capó (captain) 9. Juan Campomar 10. Nicolás Morales 11. Tomás Jolivet 12. Juan Llovet 13. Joaquín Pastore 14. Alejandro Silveira 15. Jerónimo Etcheverry.
Replacements: 16. Alejo Corral 17. Carlos Arboleya 18. Juan Rombys 19. Juan Horta 20. Manuel Martinez 21. Juan De Freitas 22. Santiago Gibernau.
