Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Chile will send their strongest available side to contest the Punta del Este 7s. The first leg of the Sudamérica series kicks off on January 6, with the team departing for Uruguay on January 3. Representing the Cóndores will be a host of test players mixed with top sevens exponents.
Felipe Brangier again leads the side that has made two changes to the side that stunned New Zealand at the Silicon Valley 7s in November. Rodrigo Fernandez and Francisco Metuaze miss out and are replaced by Juan Pablo Larenas and the only overseas-based player in the squad, Barcelona’s Franco Velarde.
Other notables include Chilean Rugby Player of the Year Marcelo Torrealba, 2017 Hong Kong Dream Team selection Julio Blanc, and experienced forward Ignacio Silva, also a standout with the Cóndores as a flanker in the 15-a-side game.
Punta del Este will combine with the second leg in Viña del Mar to determine two qualifiers for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco. Others in contention are Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, and Colombia.
LOS CÓNDORES 7s
Julio Blanc (Old Boys), Felipe Brangier (capt., PWCC), Benjamín De Vidts (Old Boys), Nicolás Garafulic (COBS), Juan Pablo Larenas (Uni Católica), Ignacio Silva (Stade Francais), Marcelo Torrealba (Old Boys), Francisco Urroz (Old Reds), Franco Velarde (Barcelona, ES), Martín Verschae (Viña), Pedro Verschae (Viña), Lucas Westcott (Old Boys)
