Russia will take a slender one-point advantage into their World Cup 2015 final qualifier second leg in Montevideo next month after beating Uruguay 22-21 in the first leg in Krasnoyarsk on Saturday.

The Russians, aiming to qualify for the competition for only the second time, trailed 16-21 at the break.

The winners of the tie will have the dubious honor of lining up in the hardest of the four groups, Group A, next year, alongside hosts England, Australia, Wales and Fiji. The second leg is in the Uruguayan capital on October 11.