The World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 continued this weekend, beginning in Montevideo between Uruguay and Romania and wrapping up in Edmonton between Canada and Portugal.
There were 14 fewer tries scored than last weekend, but the matches proved to be just as absorbing.
There were mostly comfortable wins for Portugal and Chile, whereas Georgia, Spain and the USA were made to work a lot harder for their victories. Yet again, however, fans were treated to another high-scoring draw, this time between Uruguay and Romania.
Uruguay 36-36 Romania
Last week’s draw between Spain and Uruguay was the highest scoring in Test match history, and this was every bit as thrilling.
Felipe Arcos Perez opened the scoring in two minutes with a lovely try, evading tackles on his way. The Oaks then bounced back with three unanswered tries, showcasing a more clinical edge that they lacked against Chile. The highlight of these three tries was Tevita Manumua’s first of the game, finishing off a well-worked team try with classy handling from the Oaks.
Los Teros grabbed two more tries before the end of the first half, as Joaquin Suarez was everywhere this half, scoring a try of his own.
The second half was more of the same, extremely end-to-end and thoroughly entertaining, with as many chances going astray as there were scores. Uruguay’s maul proved particularly effective, and it was rewarded with hooker Joaquin Myszka bagging a hat-trick.
Romania’s discipline became more of an issue as the game went on, and at one point they were down to 13 men when substitutes Alexandru Savin and Vlad Neculau were both sin-binned within six minutes of each other. It proved costly for Romania’s chance of winning as, despite heroics, they couldn’t stop Manuel Ardao scoring to level the score.
Uruguay had one last attack in the dying seconds but knocked it on. The Oaks attempted to go up the other end of the field, but it was short-lived. In the end, a draw was a deserved result, but for the Oaks especially, a great deal of confidence will be taken from their resilience in being at least a man down during the last 15 minutes, and even scoring a try in the process.
Samoa 12-33 Georgia
The first half an hour of this match was a defensive stalemate from both teams. Georgia showcased a solid scrum, and Luka Matkava kicked his goals to keep Georgia ahead. Davit Niniashvili, leading by example, came up with a great try-saving tackle, and it looked like neither team would budge.
Eventually, 26 minutes in, Duncan Paia’aua, with a lovely step inside, broke the Georgian defence. Georgia eventually got their first try as half-time neared, with Luka Ivanishvili getting over. It was a solid first half from the Lelos despite being reduced to 14 men twice, and they led by nine points at half-time.
The second half was largely the same, both defences standing strong in the face of pressure. Georgia, however, bookended the half with a try each, including Ilia Spanderashvili bulldozing over for the final try. The try at the start of the second half from Giorgi Kveseladze meant Samoa were constantly chasing the game, and in the end the Lelos overpowered them to maintain their 100% record in the competition.
Tonga 19-32 Spain
Like the previous match, it took over 20 minutes for a try to be scored. Despite Spain dominating the opening periods, they only had a penalty kick to show for it.
22 minutes in, scrum-half Sonatane Takulua, with a lovely pick-up and audacious dummy, broke the deadlock and the ‘Ikale Tahi took a surprise lead. It was the perfect way for the captain to mark this historic day, as he became Tonga’s most capped player ever.
From one scrum-half to the other, however, and it was the turn of Estanislao Bay, who had a terrific game, to skip past the Tongan defence and get a crucial try for Los Leones. Antonio Ray Suarez scored not long after, and Spain had a healthy lead at half-time.
The second half again proved difficult for either team to score, but flanker Ignacio Pineiro Molla scored after an amazing take from John Wessel Bell to set him up.
Tonga showed good character all game, and it was by no means a comfortable victory, but Los Leones always looked the more dangerous side, and when Inaki Mateu collected his own grubber to get over for the try, the game was beyond reach for Tonga.
Taniela Filimone grabbed a well-deserved consolation try, but in the end, it was a great response from Los Leones after conceding in the last minute against Canada to be denied a victory.
Chile 38-17 Hong Kong China
The Chilean home crowd in Viña Del Mar were treated to an electric start from Los Condores. A penalty try and a try from a driving maul from Inaki Gurruchaga gave them a commanding lead in the first 15 minutes.
Hong Kong China responded with more accuracy than in their previous match against Samoa, and despite being a man down, they were rewarded for their efforts, with Alexander Post scoring.
This momentum was short-lived, however, as Lachlan Doheny’s initial sin-bin was upgraded to a red, and Hong Kong China were down to fourteen men for the next 20 minutes.
Jack Combes’ wonderful try demonstrated a toughness that simply wasn’t there last week against Samoa, and despite two players being carded, they were only down two points at half-time. It was followed by a great moment as Paul Altier slotted his conversion and gestured towards the Chilean crowd to quiet down.
It was all Chile in the second-half. Marcelo Torrealba scored from a maul, and the ill discipline of Hong Kong China proved costly as they received two sin-bins in the space of four minutes. Los Condores were gifted opportunities as a result, and Nicholas Saab, with a few minutes to go, sealed the win for Chile.
It was a much better showing from Hong Kong China, but as captain Pierce Mackinlay-West said at full-time, “keeping 15 on the field would have been pretty handy.”
USA 31-15 Zimbabwe
The Sables had to make a last-minute change to the squad as Ian Prior at fly-half sustained an injury and in his place went Bruce Houston with Kudzai Mashawi on the bench.
It was a dream start for the Eagles who were still riding the momentum of their last-gasp win against Portugal. Two successive tries from Conner Mooneyham and Perry Mayo put the Eagles 12-0 up.
The Sables dominated the rest of the first half, scoring fifteen unanswered points to take the lead at half-time. Bruce Houston had a particularly impressive showing despite the late call-up.
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
USA, however, had too much firepower for Zimbabwe and scored 19 unanswered points without conceding in the entire second half. Nathan Dan Hoedt’s try meant they reclaimed the lead, but this time it was their substitute fly-half Luke Carty who was the hero, kicking three crucial penalties to constantly keep the game out of reach.
The final try by Cory Daniel was set up with a really smart pass to the blindside from Ethan McVeigh to set up Daniel in the corner, sealing another win for the Eagles.
Canada 14-38 Portugal
The first 20 minutes were dominated by a scrum and kicking game, and yet again both defences were hard to shake down. Os Lobos, during the first half, were again being seriously tested, and when Takoda McMullin broke the deadlock with a brilliant score, the crowd in Edmonton were certainly fired up.
Samuel Marques, displaying his class, drew the scores level, converting his own try and from then on Os Lobos were full of confidence.
Their second try by Tomas Appleton was a thing of beauty, with silky passing and offloads, and one a team like the All Blacks would have been proud of. At half-time though, Canada were very much in the fight.
What followed, however, was a clinical attacking display from Os Lobos. Their discipline significantly improved, and each of their tries was well-worked and had everyone in the backline contributing.
Two minutes into the second half, Guilherme Vasconcelos opened the scoring, finishing off a combination of great handling and carries. A brace in quick succession followed from Raffaele Storti, who was carving up the Canadian defence. Vasconcelos then grabbed his second of the day, and Canada had no answer for this relentless Portuguese attack.
By 60 minutes, Portugal had too commanding a lead, and despite a consolation try from Brock Gallagher, Os Lobos had bounced back from week one beautifully with a terrific and ruthless second-half attacking display.
With thanks to World Rugby