The 2016-17 HSBC Sevens Series was a good one for the Americas. Three teams finished in the Top 10, with the USA leading the way in 5th place. A resurgent Canadian side finished in 8th while Argentina was just behind in 9th. The new season got off to a rocky …
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2018
2017 ARN Women’s Super 7
An ARN Awards first this year. We have in the past only selected a Dream Team for the men’s side. While the women remain underfunded by World Rugby and limited to only half the tournaments that the men enjoy, we feel there is now sufficient competition to select a side …
Read More »Forward Thinking (Vol 4, Iss 1): End Automatic RWC Qualifying
2018 is now here and it is to start with more Rugby World Cup qualifiers. Canada play host to Uruguay on January 27 in Vancouver. Uruguay then host the reverse fixture on February 03 in Montevideo. The winner, on aggregate, will be Americas 2 and play in Pool D of …
Read More »2017 ARN Breakthrough Player of the Year
The Breakthrough Player of the Year can be a bit tricky with its only real defining characteristic that a player achieves a significant rise in their standard, and consequently individual standing, over the course of the calendar year. Where it differs from the Rookie award is that it can apply …
Read More »Fixtures confirmed for Punta del Este 7s
Fixtures for the first leg of the Sudamérica Sevens to take place in Punta del Este have been confirmed. The two-leg series will conclude in Viña del Mar next weekend with the top two teams from Chile, Paraguay, Colombia, Brazil, and Uruguay qualifying for the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens …
Read More »2017 ARN Club Player of the Year
Americas players have along history of success at the club level, particularly in Europe, and 2017 again yielded trophies for players abroad. Djustice Sears-Duru captured a BT Scottish Premiership title with Ayr, and his Canadian front row mate Jake Ilnicki won the Aviva ‘A’ League with Northampton Wanderers. Jamie Cudmore …
Read More »Gómez Kodela sees red against Pau
Joining Juan Imhoff and Nick Civetta on the naughty list heading into the New Year is Lyon prop Francisco Gómez Kodela. The 32-year-old tighthead specialist has enjoyed a fine season to date but a moment of madness against Pau will almost certainly cost him a few weeks on the sidelines. …
Read More »2017 ARN Rookie of the Year
Each year there are a few newcomers to international rugby who get their chance to show that they belong on the world’s stage. This past year certainly saw that and then some. An extraordinary 66 players from the six countries comprising the Americas Rugby Championship made their test debuts in …
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