News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. Sept. 26, 2019: If you check the odds at the top betting sites, you’d see that both Argentina and Uruguay have been given very little chance of progressing to the quarterfinals of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Do these odds reflect reality, though?
Let’s take a look at each of the teams and their performances in the first round, as there might be some reasons for positivity after all.
Argentina
The draw was relatively kind to Argentina, as the country has to face England, France, the United States, and Tonga in Pool C of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The last two teams are hardly on the same level, so the key here was to beat one of the two European opponents.
Argentina came close in the opener against France but eventually lost 23-21. And yet, there were a lot of positives in this game. England will be an even tougher opponent, but Argentina is not doomed.
As it stands, the chances of the country to progress are slim, but the team
still have everything to play for. A win against the underdog Tonga in the next
match would be a good way to restore some confidence and prepare for the
deciding clash against England.
Uruguay
The qualification for the 2019 Rugby World Cup was nothing short of a miracle for Uruguay. No one expected to see the country book a place for the Finals in Japan and no one expects it to fight for a place in the next round.
And yet, Uruguay was able to upset the odds once again and won against Fiji in the opening match. This was only the third victory on such a level for the nation and it brings hope that a spot in the quarterfinals is not a mission impossible.
The brave efforts of Los Teros were enough to edge Fiji, but the rest of the pool will be tough. Wales and Australia are at least a level above Uruguay, so Georgia looks like the only opponent that can be beaten.
On the bright side, that’s the next team Uruguay is playing against. If Los Teros can record another victory, they will have all the momentum in the world and no pressure. That’s an excellent position, so the team shouldn’t be underestimated.
Conclusion
Both South American teams have a mountain to climb in Japan, but both still have their chances to progress to the next stage of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Even if they don’t, they should at least fight for the third place in their pools which would be enough to book a place for the Finals in 2023.
