Chile upset USA in Colorado to secure first ever Rugby World Cup place

In front of 4,000 fans in Glendale, Colorado, los Condores of Chile downed the US Eagles 31-29 in a riotous game to secure a place in France next year, 52-51 on aggregate over two qualifying matches. The Americans, who will host the men’s World Cup in 2031 and the women two years later, can still qualify but must do so through the sudden-death repechage event.

World Rugby, which has nine years to sell its game to the American public, will be hugely concerned – and hugely delighted for Los Condores, who were mightily impressive in their refusal to back down and the verve of their attacks before their pack, battered all day, won the penalty that won a World Cup spot.

On a hot afternoon the Eagles started strongly, keeping the ball in hand, AJ MacGinty, the captain from Sale in England, darting from fly-half. Chile stymied one lineout drive with Joe Taufete’e on the ball but at the scrum, thanks to the hooker, David Ainu’u of Toulouse and Paul Mullen of Utah, the South Americans had problems.

A lineout, a drive, a blindside break from the scrum-half, Ruben de Haas of Saracens, a kick from Martin Iosefo of Seattle and a bit of juggling from de Haas gave the wing the first try. MacGinty converted.

The Eagles chose to scrummage when possible, rumbling the Chileans backwards. They turned down a penalty shot when only 7-0 up, 29-21 on aggregate after a one-point squeak on Santiago the week before. The lineout move worked but the flanker Hanco Germishuys knocked on over the line.

Iosefo scored the second try, on the end of a concerted attack, left to right, short and wide passes and heavy work from the big men. Nick Civetta, a big second row from New York, slipped a vital pass from contact. That made it 14-0 and 36-21.

Chile had