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Chile has taken a roster of 28 players to Canada. Los Cóndores will play their second round fixture of the Americas Rugby Championship on Saturday.
Coming off a lackluster performance against Brazil, Chile is in search of a much improved performance. Their opponents also lost in round one, going down to the Argentina XV in freezing conditions.
Chile’s coaching staff are looking to adjust and strike a blow against the Canadians. In seeking improvement the real objective is months away – the Rugby World Cup qualifiers against Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Chile’s roster is full of names from the 2012 and 2013 World Rugby Junior World Trophy as well as the 2014 and 2015 South American u20s. It is not, however at full strength. In addition to missing European players and flanker Javier Richard, three others are missing.
Los Cóndores Medic Michael Marsalli has ruled out center Matías Nordenflycht, utility forward Nicanor Machuca, and hooker Tomás Dussaillant from facing Canada. Called up as replacements are former France-based midfielder Simón Pardakhty and a pair of uncapped Sporting players in hooker Martín Mendoza and lock or back row Fernando Gándara.
Further changes see scrumhalf Beltrán Vergara replaced by Sergio Bascuñan and versatile back José Ignacio Larenas added to the group.
Of the 28-man roster flyhalf Jorge Castillo and flanker Arturo Seeman are also uncapped.
FORWARDS
Vittorio Lastra (Old Macks), Gonzalo Martínez (Curupaytí, AR), José Tomás Munita (Uni Católica), Claudio Zamorano (Stade Francais), Martín Mendoza (Sporting), Rodrigo Moya (PWCC), Nikola Bursic (COBS), Fernando Gándara (Sporting), Mario Mayol (Old Boys), Manuel Dagnino (Old Macks), Cristóbal Niedmann (PWCC), Eduardo Orpis (COBS), Anton Petrowitsch (COBS), Arturo Seeman (Old Georgians), Benjamín Soto (Stade Francais).
BACKS
Sergio Bascuñan (Old Macks), Jan Hasenlechner (COBS), Juan Pablo Larenas (Uni Católica), Jorge Castillo (ARUA), Francisco Cruz (COBS), Francisco González Moller (Sporting), José Ignacio Larenas (Uni Católica), Simón Pardakhty (PWCC), Franco Velarde (Viña), Tomás Ianiszewski (Old Locks), Martín Verschae (Viña), Pedro Verschae (Viña), Rodrigo Fernández (COBS).
