USA U20 vs Uruguay U20

Stewart's try just before half-time flipped the game. Uruguay had controlled the set-piece and maul for 38 minutes, but the score — plus Huntley's incision — visibly shifted belief. USA won the second half 32-0, scrambling Uruguay's maul defence and winning the territory battle through Cadden's tactical kicking.

USA's 22m entries (14 to 6) and ruck speed (39% of their rucks cleared in under 3 seconds, compared to Uruguay's 22%) told the story of a side that seized control after the interval.

Sebastian Perez (Uruguay U20) — A first-half hat-trick from rolling mauls, the clear standout for Uruguay. His three tries put his side in a commanding position that the rest of the team could not sustain.

Declan Cadden (USA U20) — Nine points (one conversion, one penalty goal, one penalty conversion) and controlled the territorial game. His kicking after half-time kept Uruguay pinned in their own half.

Spencer Huntley (USA U20) — The catalyst for the comeback. Created Stewart's try before half-time with a line break, then assisted Kirk's try in the second half. His direct running changed the attacking shape.

Liam Hill (USA U20) — Came off the bench and scored the final try, but also carried hard in the loose phases that wore down the Uruguay defence in the final quarter.

Player of the Match: Spencer Huntley (USA U20)

USA's 39-point tally was their highest of the tournament. The 32-0 second-half margin was the largest in any half of the competition for either side. But the scoreline slightly flattered Uruguay's first-half effort: despite leading 15-0, Uruguay had spent only 30% of the match in the lead (24 minutes), while USA led for 45% (36 minutes), reflecting how comprehensively the momentum shifted.

USA won 77 rucks to Uruguay's 67, and 39% of their rucks were cleared in under 3 seconds — nearly double Uruguay's 22%. The 14-6 advantage in 22m entries also demonstrated where the game was won: USA averaged 2.7 points per entry, Uruguay 2.5.

USA U20 finish 15th in the 16-team World Rugby Junior World Championship, a result that offers some consolation after a difficult pool stage in which they lost to Argentina (78-14), England (68-40) and Ireland (73-22), followed by a 71-21 defeat to Japan in the classification round. The Americans were also without Alfie Booth, who was suspended for this match after a red card in the 13th-place semi-final against Japan (World Rugby disciplinary update, 16 July 2026).

Uruguay end the tournament in 16th place without a win, having conceded 262 points across five matches. Their pool included South Africa (104-7 loss), Wales (47-0), Georgia (56-3) and Spain (57-6) before this defeat.

For 38 minutes, Uruguay's maul looked capable of delivering a first win at this level. But the Americans' superior fitness and back-line creativity overwhelmed Los Teritos after the break. USA's 32-0 second half was emphatic, and the scoreline accurately reflected the gulf in quality once the set-piece battle shifted.