This win followed previous victories against the Barbarians (33-19 in London) and England A (31-12 in Bath) on the team's Northern Tour.
The All Blacks XV faced a strong challenge from Los Teros, who are ranked 15th in the world and have qualified for the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027 for the fourth consecutive time.
As the final quarter approached, the All Blacks XV held a narrow 19-14 lead before pulling ahead thanks to a strong contribution from their bench, which became a highlight of the tour.
All Blacks XV coach Jamie Joseph emphasised the importance of giving every squad member game time.
“It’s great that each player has had good opportunities to showcase their rugby. We came together quickly and faced tough opposition right from the start against the Barbarians. Overcoming that was a confidence booster,” Joseph remarked.
“Against Uruguay, it was nice to see the boys playing confidently against a side that really challenged us.”
Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava opened the scoring for the All Blacks XV, scooping the ball from the base of a ruck and charging past a couple of would-be tacklers. Chiefs winger Etene Nanai-Seturo, who was named man of the match against the Barbarians, added another try with a powerful dash down the sideline. However, Uruguay's passionate forwards kept them in contention, scoring two of their three tries from lineout drives, with another try coming from a chip kick following another forceful, calculated surge.
Crusaders centre Braydon Ennor, named man of the match against England A, continued his strong form with a try. He had previously scored in Canterbury's 36-28 victory over Otago in the Bunnings NPC final on October 24 in Christchurch.
Unfortunately, Ennor was unable to finish the game and was replaced by Josh Jacomb, who typically plays as a first five-eighth but moved to fullback. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens then shifted to the wing and had a fruitful performance, scoring two tries and making consistent, incisive runs. Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens’ Bunnings NPC Taranaki teammate, Daniel Rona, also scored a try.
Bay of Plenty prop Benet Kumeroa hasn’t scored in 36 games for the Steamers, so when the Māori All Black crashed over for a try, his teammates celebrated joyously. In his first start of the tour, Crusaders' first five-eighth Rivez Reihana successfully added five conversions.
Canterbury and Crusaders lock Jamie Hannah stood out during the tour. Hawke’s Bay and Hurricanes flanker Devan Flanders proved to be a handful for opponents, and hooker Jack Taylor is promising with his bustling approach.
Captain and flanker Dalton Papali'i expressed his delight with the tour, describing it as one of his "favourite tours."
“I’ve played against all these guys who are on the fringes of the All Blacks and are good enough to make it, so it was awesome to finally play with them. We only had three weeks together, but we’ve already formed a brotherhood,” Papali'i said.
Papali'i has won 28 of his 37 All Blacks Tests and 62 of his 97 matches with the Blues.
The first official meeting between a team from New Zealand and Uruguay took place in 1976 when a non-All Blacks XV went on an unbeaten nine-game tour of South America, defeating Uruguay 64-3 in Montevideo. Canterbury outside back Scott Cartwright scored three of the visitors’ eleven tries, while fellow Cantabrian Richard Wilson contributed 20 points. In the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks dominated Uruguay, winning 73-0.
The All Blacks XV have now won seven matches in a row, dating back to 2023.
