Argentina down Canada to open Americas event

AFP: Second-half tries by Santiago Medrano and Segundo Tuclet powered defending champion Argentina over Canada 20-6 Saturday while the United States edged Uruguay 29-23 in Americas Rugby Championship openers.

The Americans and Argentina joined Brazil, a 17-3 winner over Chile in Friday’s first match of the Six Nations-styled tournament, atop the table.

Snow frustrated scoring for Argentina and Canada in the first half at suburban Victoria, Canadian captain Gordon McRorie and Argentina’s Domingo Miotti exchanging early penalty kicks for a 3-3 half-time deadlock.

But Medrano put Argentina ahead to stay with his 50th-minute try, grabbing and touching down a grubber kick from Miotti.

“The team was very excited,” Argentina captain Lautaro Bavaro said of the match played in frigid, snowy weather.