Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Emiliano Boffelli has been awarded the prestigious Olimpia de Plata. The award is given to the best Argentine athletes among 41 disciplines as voted by the independent Association of Sports Journalists, a practice that has continued annually since its inception in 1954.
It bookends a superb year for the 22-year-old outside back. Boffelli returned to action from a serious knee injury with the Argentina XV during the Americas Rugby Championship. His brief but impressive performance earned him an immediate call-up to the Pumas side, making his test debut on the wing against England in June.
He would go on to start in 11 of Argentina’s 12 internationals during the year, scoring 30 points including three tries and five long-range penalty goals. Boffelli earned a nomination for World Rugby Breakout Player of the Year, ultimately awarded to New Zealand’s Rieko Ioane.
The two other Argentine rugby players nominated were Pablo Matera and Sebastián Cancelliere. Of the two Matera was favored to be Boffelli’s main competition, with many expecting the powerful flanker to win based on his outstanding performance for the Pumas this year.
Taking home the biggest award of the night – the Olimpia de Oro – as the nation’s best sportsperson was swimmer Delfina Pignatiello. Rugby players have won the Oro on only three occasions – Gonzalo Quesada in 1999, Hugo Porta in 1985, and Bernardo Otaño in 1965.
