Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The Southern Hemisphere’s top domestic competitions are starting to wrap up as New Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup enters its 9th and final week of regular season play, while Australia’s National Rugby Championship has reached the semi-finals stage. Americas players will feature in both over the next few days.
Jake Ilnicki starts at tighthead prop for Manawatu as the Turbos host Otago in Palmerston North on Friday. It’s the second start in three games for the Canadian international who looks to be peaking at just the right time.
US-born winger Toni Pulu runs out for his first start of the season against Canterbury on Saturday. Pulu has recently extended his Super Rugby contract with the Chiefs for a further two seasons, making the chances of opting to pursue Eagles honors very unlikely. Hawke’s Bay play Tony Lamborn at openside flank once again, making it 9 starts in 10 games. His US Eagles teammate Chris Baumann will equal that feat for Wellington Lions as he recovers from a head knock to start against Waikato.
Sunday’s teams have not been named yet with Northland’s Canadian lock Josh Larsen in the picture for the match against North Harbour in Whangarei. Southland’s PRO Rugby rep Bill Fukofuka, soon to be a Tongan international, should feature for the Stags against Tasman.
Over to the NRC Semi-Finals in Australia, there are two possible US Eagles targets set to play against each other. Sunday will see reported John Mitchell target Marcel Brache manning the right wing for Perth Spirit against the Sydney Rays, who have incumbent test hooker James Hilterbrand acting as backup for Waratahs signing Damien Fitzpatrick.
