Canadians, Eagles and Pumas in European Championship Week 2

The Americas will be represented this weekend at the highest level of European professional rugby as Canadians, Eagles and Pumas take to the field in week two of the European Rugby Champions Cup.

In action later on today for Ulster will be the U.S. eligible Callum Black. The veteran prop is uncapped yet could have played for the Eagles in both Rugby World Cups 2011 and 2015. Doing so would threaten his contract with Ulster due to tough Irish regulations on players not-eligible for Irish selection.

The arrival of PRO Rugby will provide a safety net for future instances like Black. Playing against Ulster will be Saracens who will feature Chris Wyles on the right wing while both Juan Figallo and Marcelo Bosch have been named on the bench.

Figallo was an injury-enfored selection for Argentina at the World Cup and he got game time following the loss of Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Another prop to not last the duration was Marcos Ayerza who will start at loosehead prop for Leicester against Treviso on Saturday. Providing cover will be Matías Aguero, an Argentine capped by Italy.

Also taking the field on Saturday will be the Tennessee product, Tommy Seymour who is now well-established in Scotland’s back-line. Seymour will play right wing for the Glasgow Warriors who host Northampton.

Former Glasgow winger Canadian DTH van der Merwe will play left wing for his new club, Scarlets. The Welsh region will play host to Racing 92 who welcome back Juan Imhoff. The Pumas speedster has been named on the bench.

Former Puma Francisco Goméz Kodela is another to feature on the bench this weekend. The tighthead prop will provide cover for his side, Bordeaux, who take-on the Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Saturday.

In action on Sunday for Clermont will be Jamie Cudmore. The Canadian makes his first appearance of the season after having played in all four of his country’s matches at the World Cup. He joins a star-studded line-up featuring fourteen international players past or present.

Visiting central France will be the Ospreys who do so without Cudmore’s compatriots Jeff Hassler and Tyler Ardron. Former USA junior Hanno Dirksen has been named on the bench. Dirksen turned down playing for the Eagles at Rugby World Cup 2011 to pursue a career in Wales and with an eye on playing for Wales. He remains uncapped and is a further case in point of how PRO Rugby should benefit the national team.

Finally, the best performing team from round one, the Wasps, will play at home against the three-time reigning champions Toulon on Sunday. The Coventry-based side made headlines by humiliating Leinster in Dublin last weekend.

Toulon did not play due to the terrorist attacks in Paris seeing games in France called-off. Samu Manoa was to start last weekend against Bath and has been named again this weekend, again in the second-row. Also set to start is Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe who turned 34 this past week.