Americas Qualifiers USA 62 - Chile 0 - Report

Rampant USA overcome Chile

14 Nov 2018

Americas Qualifiers USA 62 - Chile 0 - Report

Rampant USA overcome Chile

Rampant United States gave newcomers Chile a harsh introduction to World Cup qualifying, with twinkle-toed centre Brandon Anderson posting four tries and Wolfpack winger Ryan Burroughs a hat-trick in a 62-0 defeat played mostly in pouring rain.

The United States will play Jamaica on Saturday at the same venue for the 11th berth in the 2021 World Cup.

Chile are the first Latin American country to ever progress as far as World Cup qualifiers and they gave as good as they got in a bruising opening 10 minutes before the Americans’ superior fitness and experience brought 11 tries.

“it’s a fantastic experience for these fellas and I honestly think we’ve learned a helluva lot from that,” said philosophical Chile coach Rob Millar.
“We’ve really lifted up the level of expertise and experience we have.
“Towards the end we had one reserve so we had most of the guys playing 80 minutes.”

After some thunderous collisions early, the scoring opened with hooker Danny Howard crossing in the 10th minute. Some great scrambling defence from the Chileans preceded it but the touchdown itself was foreboding in its softness.

Toronto’s Burroughs found space on the left in the 15th and 17th minutes and then we saw one of the rarest of scoring beasts - consecutive tries from a front rower, in this case captain Mark Offerdahl.

Brooklyn’s Anderson - who’s played in Group Seven in Australia - gave us an epic swan dive for his first try on 32 minutes and followed Offerdahl in completing a back-to-back brace a minute short of halftime.

It was 34-0 at the break, at which stage the downpour stopped the live stream but not the torrent of points. Halfback Connor Donahue snuck over after 42 minutes, Anderson posted his hat-trick well inside the hour at Bureta Faraimo’s goal-kicking in appalling conditions was exemplary.

Hull's Faraimo scored a try of his own in the 59th minute. At that point, in the face of driving rain and a treacherous surface, both teams could be forgiven for clock-watching.

But Burroughs and Anderson had a contest of their own to settle. Burroughs scored with four to go to equal his team-mate’s hat-trick, before Anderson bettered him in the shadows of full-time as the sodden crowd headed for the exits.

US coach Sean Rutgerson told the USARL website:

“We still had to defend because they ran hard and made us tackle them, but we just had a bit more experience.
“It was a good chance to give some of the other guys plenty of game time just so they can get used to that level and they went well.”

Chile plays Canada for world ranking points in Saturday’s early game.

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