Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Week 9 of the Pro D2 is underway. The current season of the second division of French rugby is proving to be highly competitive. A variety of clubs are likely to be in contention for promotion to the Top 14 next season. Involved are a host of players from the Americas.
Oyonnax hosted Agen in the opening fixture on Thursday evening. The home side completed a 21-16 victory, a result which sees Oyonnax’s lead on the table decreased to two points. Playing wing for the visitors was Taylor Paris, who is set to join the Canadian team in a week’s time. Also starting was US-eligible tighthead prop Dave Ryan.
Friday’s action sees a half-dozen games on tap with all set to start at 8pm local time. Leandro Pérez Galeone starts at no8 this week for Bourgoin, with prop Nicolás Mirande a reserve. Visitors Biarritz also have an Argentine prop on their bench in Leandro Assi.
Vannes are flying the flag for the Americas in Pro D2 yet again with five players in their lineup, three in the run-on side. Martín García Veiga starts at hooker with Javier Lagioiosa behind in the second row, and Conor Trainor continues at outside centre. New signing Eric Fry jumps straight into the match day squad and takes up a spot as reserve loosehead, while Bautista Güemes covers flyhalf. Albi arrive with tighthead prop Lucas Martínez named as a replacement.
Uruguay’s only representative this week is Felipe Berchesi, who gets his third start of the season at flyhalf for Carcassonne. His countryman Agustín Ormaechea will not be opposite having been left out of the Mont-de-Marsan lineup, but there will be two Argentine bookends in the front row with Carlos Muzzio at loosehead and Jerónimo Negrotto at tighthead. The latter’s former Tarbes teammate Sebastián Poet is back in the Soyaux Angoulême lineup to face Perpignan, albeit in a reserve capacity.
Sunday’s lineups have not been confirmed but there are a handful of Americas players who could feature. Agustín Costa Repetto looks certain to miss out with a calf injury suffered last weekend, but Colomiers will have Demián Panizzo and Ariel Castellina to call upon to face visiting Dax. Martín Chiappesoni and Ignacio Mieres are likely to feature for Les Dacquois.
