Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The second round of the European Champions Cup gets underway on Friday when Scarlets host Bath but there will be no Americas players involved in that fixture, and in fact only three of the 10 matches spread over the weekend will feature players from across the Atlantic. Players from Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, and the USA will line up for five different teams.
Benetton Treviso host French giants Toulon at the Stadio Monigo on Saturday. Italo-Canadian veteran Robert Barbieri will start at No 8 for the home side with four Argentines also set to play in the match, two for each side. Juan Ignacio Brex plays outside centre for Treviso with Tomás Baravalle covering hooker from the bench. Les Toulonnais will field their duo in the back row with Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe on the flank and Facundo Isa in his preferred position at the back of the scrum.
Traveling to Welford Road on Saturday will be Castres. Uruguayan lock Rodrigo Capó Ortega captains the side while Canada’s Taylor Paris will start on the wing. Benjamín Urdapilleta has not been named, nor has Leicester’s USA prop Chris Baumann.
Three more Americas exports will start the game at Allianz Park. Defending champions Saracens have named Pumas tighthead Juan Figallo and former Eagles skipper Chris Wyles in their lineup. Wyles will go head-to-head with another North American World Cup star in Canada’s Jeff Hassler, selected on the right wing for Ospreys.
