Up and Under

The Up and Under is a weekly feature on Americas Rugby News which reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week.

UP

Home-Grown Pumas
Starting this coming Friday the world’s best twenty countries will compete for the ultimate prize of winning the Rugby World Cup. All continents are to be represented with a notable number of countries having players representing rival teams. Of the twenty participants Argentina is unique in all 31 members of the roster having been born in the country. Staggering to think Scotland has more players from abroad than Pool B opponents the USA, that Canada has fewer nationalized players than all Pool D rivals or that Uruguay ties Georgia and South Africa for second lowest overall.

Confederação Brasileira de Rugby
While the administration staff from the unions of the Americas four Rugby World Cup competitors and Chile remain tight-lipped in releasing details about the new and exciting Americas Rugby Cup the Confederação Brasileira de Rugby (Brazilian Rugby Federation – CBRu) is more than happy to outline plans. The CBRu has confirmed the dates of all five of Brazil’s matches in the 2016 Americas Rugby Cup with São Paulo set to host games against Argentina and the USA.

Santiago Cordero
The former star Pumita and Argentine Sevens speedster is set to start against the All Blacks at Twickenham Stadium this coming Sunday. Cordero’s attacking threat have seen him preferred to veterans Horacio Agulla and Lucas González Amorosino at training. In Portugal last week Cordero trained as the starting right winger with Juan Imhoff playing in his natural position of left wing.

Old Christians Club
Montevideo’s Old Christians Club were crowned the national champions of Uruguay on Saturday when they defeated Old Boys 30-9 in the Grand Final. The title ended an eight year wait with the club having come close only to fall short in recent years.

Patricio Fernández
Unwanted by Los Pumas Head Coach Daniel Hourcade the 20 year old fly half underlined his credentials when he came off the bench for Clermont Auvergne on Saturday. Former French international Camille Lopez was forced off late in the opening half with Fernández replacing him. Upon entering Clermont were losing 20-6. Fernández, landed four goals, in playing a key role which including creating tries as Clermont recovered to complete a 26-26 draw. Both Fernández and fellow Argentine fly half Sebastián Poet have begun their French careers well.

UNDER

World Cup Match Schedule
Predictable headlines next week will criticize the organizers of the Rugby World Cup including World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper for enabling such disgraceful scheduling of games. Japan will have just three days between facing heavy weights Scotland and South Africa while Fiji will face both England and Australia before Namibia has played its first match of the tournament. Is this the best they could have done, honestly?

Sergio Parisse
Argentina’s Italian captain will miss his team’s opening match of the World Cup through injury. The importance of Parisse to Italy is such that many are already writing off Italy of having any chance of upsetting France in the match. Parisse is expected to be fine to face Canada in Italy’s second pool match on Saturday September 26 in Leeds.

Jason Marshall
Whether or not Parisse returns he will not face a Canadian side with star prop Jason Marshall. The French based front-rower will play no part in the World Cup after failing to be match-fit. His spot on the roster went to the Australia-based Jake Ilnicki.

Guinness Pro 12
With Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales all having significant portions of their players being contracted to Guinness Pro 12 clubs the opening two rounds of the competition have been forgettable. The competition will now take a break as the World Cup gets underway.

Toulon
Also going on hold is the Top 14 which has had four full rounds, two more than the Guinness Pro 12. Last season’s Semi Finalists, Toulon, though cannot use the break to prepare as well as rivals due to a judicial investigation having been opened in Marseilles which is targeting pharmacies suspected of illegally supplying players with antibiotics, analgesics and anabolic steroids. Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal claims all links to doping are totally false.