The USA made their intentions to win a third successive Americas Rugby Championship title abundantly clear with an emphatic 11-try, 71-8 victory over Chile in Santiago on Saturday.

They will continue their campaign against Argentina XV next weekend, their rivals having also made a winning start after overcoming Brazil 54-3 in Neuquen.

The final match of the opening weekend saw Uruguay, who played much of the match with 14 men after scrum-half Santiago Arata was sent off for a dangerous tackle, snatch a 20-17 win over Canada with the last play of a hard-fought encounter in Montevideo.

Chile 8-71 USA

Under a burning sun, in 35 degrees at the Estadio Santiago Buera in Santiago, it didn’t take long for the USA Eagles to establish a dominance they would keep for most of the game.

It took only two minutes for Gary Gold's side to score the first try, hooker Joe Taufete’e putting his name in the record books by equalling Irish icon Keith Wood’s 15 test tries for a front rower.

AJ McGinty showed he is fully recovered from the shoulder operation that kept him out of the November internationals, scoring his side's second try in a magnificent comeback performance in which he scored 27 points in 65 minutes of action – a US record.

Francisco González Moller's penalty brought temporary respite to Chile but Paul Lasike, Nick Civetta, and Shaun Davies scored in quick succession to see the Eagles to the bonus point within the first half an hour. Hanco Gersmishuys rounded off the first-half scoring when he blasted over to make the interval score 38-3.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first but with the Eagles perhaps not as fluent in attack. After McGinty scored his second try, Chile were rewarded for their best passage of play when reserve prop Matías Dittus crashed over after a patient build-up.

McGinty converted his third try before giving way to debutant Tadhg Leader who quickly showed his worth with a try and two conversions, with Ruben de Haas and Cam Dolan getting the last two five-pointers as Chile finished the game with two men in the sin-bin

“We did what we set out to do, we were very effective and scored some good tries,” said Eagles’ coach Gary Gold. “Overall I'm happy with the first game in hard conditions. We realise next week’s challenge will be significantly more difficult against a more experienced Argentine team.”

Argentina XV 54-3 Brazil

Playing at home with the support of a good crowd behind them, Argentina XV were too strong for a Brazilian team that worked hard but was no match for the winner.

With the youngest team in the tournament – average age on Saturday was 22 – Argentina XV took every opportunity given to them to score eight unanswered tries, having secured their bonus point before the half-time break.

Scrum-half Felipe Ezcurra pounced on a loose ball to run in unopposed from 40 metres for the opening try, and he was followed over the whitewash by second-row Jerónimo Ureta, hooker Gaspar Baldunciel and, after a great run, Lucas Mensa.

The Brazilians dominated in the scrum in the opening half yet, when it mattered most, they lost one five metres out and their best chance of a try in the first half was gone. Josh Reeves' penalty was all they had to show for their efforts.

Unforced errors cost Os Tupis certain tries early in the second half and they were punished for their profligacy by a ruthless Argentine attack. Lucas Mensa scored again and would have had a hat-trick had he not dropped the ball when the line was at his mercy. He was joined on the scoresheet by wing Lucas Domínguez and debutants Javier Corvalán and Agustín Seguro as the inaugural Americas Rugby Championship winners closed out a comfortable win.

In terms of preparing for next week's seemingly decisive clash against the USA, it puts Argentina XV in a good place. “We expect it to be a very hard game against a team that is preparing for the Rugby World Cup,” said scrum-half Ezcurra. “It will be a very good opportunity to test ourselves against a quality team.”

Uruguay 20-17 Canada 

Canada came into the game with a score to settle after Uruguay beat them home-and-away to clinch the Americas 2 spot at RWC 2019. And, when Santiago Arata was sent off on 15 minutes, it seemed certain they would gain their revenge. However, Uruguay showed tremendous spirit to defy the one-man handicap and deny the Canucks once again.

Scrum-half Arata had been ley to the game's opening try with a precise kick behind the Canadian defence which wing Federico Favaro pounced on for the first five-pointer.

With the extra player Canada had more possession but failed to turn this into points and Uruguay extended their lead by three when Juan Manuel Cat slotted a penalty. Eventually, Canada fashioned a score for Ciaran Hearn after wings Kainoa Lloyd and Andrew Coe counterattacked to create space for the experienced centre.

Trailing 8-5, Canada struck early in the second half when young full-back Theo Sauder converted his own try after weaving around seven would-be tacklers to dive close to the posts. It was some way to atone for three earlier missed kicks at goal.

Canada's numerical advantage was lost for 10 minutes after Ben LeSage was sent to the sin-bin for retaliation but they still managed to score again, scrum-half Jamie Mackenzie sauntering over down the blindside following a multi-phase move. Saunder missed the conversion and the 10 points that went begging from the kicking tee overall proved crucial as Uruguay stormed back

Los Teros, a team that never gives in, got their second try 12 minutes from time when, after repeated pick-and-goes, Ignacio Dotti managed to break the Canadian defensive wall. Then, with the clock in the red, replacement front-rower Guillermo Pujadas, burrowed over from close range to prompt delirious celebrations amongst the Uruguayan players and their supporters.