Up and Under

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

Jaguares
On Saturday Los Jaguares extended their winning run this evening, downing the Reds in Buenos Aires. The 22-8 victory was the 4th of the season for the Argentine Super Rugby franchise and the 3rd in-a-row. Center Jerónimo de La Fuente scored a double but it was the flier, Ramiro Moyano who got everybody talking. Scoring his fifth try in three matches the Tucumán winger ran past five Reds defenders for a brilliant solo effort. Los Jaguares have next weekend off, a welcome rest before facing the Sharks in Durban.

Nicaragua
Rugby in the Americas continues to grow as Nicaragua is advancing to form its first official test side. Together with Honduras the countries are the only Central American Republics absent from the South American C Championship. This is likely to change, possibly in 2017. In 2016 Nicaragua officially obtained Sudamérica Rugby associate membership status and defeated Guatemala’s u23 side in a friendly. The Federación Nicaragüense de Rugby (Fenirugby) is currently working hard with local government authorities to get authorization to establish an official test side. Details from Nicaragua confirm that a formal relationship is being set-up with Fenirugby working with the National Institute of Sport – Instituto Nicaragüense del Deporte (IND).

Chile
Argentina and Chile have reached an agreement to boost Chilean Rugby. The Unión Argentina de Rugby and Chile Rugby met in Buenos Aires together with Sudamérica Rugby, the latter of which facilitated the discussions. The UAR offered a variety of assistance including logistical and technical support. It is to begin with a complete diagnosis of the amateur game in Chile and go up to that of the elite. Upon identification plans are to be set in place for Chile Rugby to capitalize on technical areas to help make Chile more competitive in the region.

Juan Imhoff, Facundo Isa
Not available for Los Pumas but on fine form in France, Juan Imhoff and Facundo Isa both scored tries this weekend. Imhoff scored the third and final try for Racing 92 who completed a vital home win over the high-flying Clermont. The result brings Racing 92 to within three points, less than one victory, outside of the barrage zone. A vital win was also recorded by Lyon who are now surely safe from relegation. Scoring in the opening minute was Facundo Isa.

AJ MacGinty
In the Aviva Premiership AJ MacGinty put in a stand-out performance. The Eagles fly half kicked seven goals for the Sale Sharks who played away to the Exeter Chiefs. Exeter ultimately won the match 30-25, scoring 4 tries to 1. With the Sharks only crossing once it was the boot of MacGinty which kept them in the match. Sale, in fact, pushed last season’s finalists. Had it not been for the Eagles no 10 then a much bigger win would likely have eventuated for the Chiefs.

Los Pumitas
Los Pumitas are coming home happy. Finishing their tour of Oceania on a high the Argentine u20 side are optimistic about their chances at the Junior World Championship in May in Georgia. This past week the side recorded a 36-26 win over the Chiefs u20’s and a 31-20 win over the Blues u20’s. The tour was precisely used for the purpose of building for the World Rugby tournament. For Argentine rugby it was highly successful with players putting their name forward to be Pumas of tomorrow.

 

UNDER

Brazil and Chile away to Uruguay in RWC Qualifiers
Uruguay is to have home advantage in two of its three Rugby World Cup 2019 qualifiers in May. Taking place in May the 2017 South American A Championship will double as the continent’s final round qualifiers for Japan 2019. The winner of Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay will face either Canada or the USA in the final round of Americas qualifiers. The winner of that home-and-away series will book their place in Japan 2019. Of the four South American sides involved Uruguay is the only one to have previously played in a Rugby World Cup. Appearances in 1999, 2003 and 2015 make Los Teros the odds-on-favorites. Home advantage against the second and third seeds only compounds this advantage.

Newcastle Falcons
Former Pumas midfielder, Juan Pablo Socino was yellow card this past weekend. Playing opposite Welsh center Jamie Roberts, Socino started for Newcastle away to the Harlequins. His team did not have the best of afternoons. Their 53-17 defeat was nothing short of a hammering. Socino was yellow carded at a bad time. It saw the Harlequins scoring 17 unanswered points. Canadian Evan Olmstead was then yellow carded early in the second half. 14 unanswered points was the result, crushing hopes of a positive outcome for Newcastle.

Ospreys
Americas players Tyler Ardron and Sam Underhill were part of the humiliating Ospreys loss on Saturday. Playing away to Benetton Treviso the Welsh region were targeting a win yet, instead, they returned home having gained no competition points. With the WRU having assumed control of the Newport Gwent Dragons having this past week the Ospreys’ loss is a second bitter pill for Welsh fans in a short space of time. It was not all disaster though as the Scarlets won and the Cardiff Blues came close. Eagles winger, Blaine Scully captained the Blues away to Leinster.

Juan Ignacio Brex
There were new contracts announced this past week for Americas players in Europe. This saw Joe Taufete’e extending his contract with the Worcester Warriors, Justin Blanchet with the Bedford Blues, Matt Heaton with Darlington Mowden Park and Martín Landajo staying in Argentina until 2019. All come as welcome news for the players and for the rugby public in the Americas. The week, though, did have a piece of bad transfer news – Juan Ignacio Brex’s signed for Benetton Treviso. The 24-year-old center is one of Argentina’s potential players in Europe who could return home to be a Jaguar. Instead he will take the step up from the Italian Eccellenza to the Guinness Pro 12 next season. By using the Olympic sevens loophole he could yet play for Italy.

Julián Montoya
Los Jaguares’ bye week has come at a good time. The team is resting injuries. Ruled out this past week until May was hooker Julián Montoya. With Agustín Creevy having started all matches it was a major concern. Raúl Pérez used 2016 Loose Head Prop, Roberto Tejerizo out of position as a replacement against the Reds on Saturday. Called-up to practice during the week was Gaspar Baldunciel, a player expected to make the step up when the time is right. Facundo Bosch’s departure to Agen led to Tejerizo moving positions. Also missing are Martín Landajo, Manuel Montero and Matías Moroni, though their positions in the side are very much being filled in nicely. Santiago Cordero and Javier Ortega Desio are expected back for the Sharks.