Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Uruguay have named a full strength roster for the upcoming Rugby World Cup Qualifiers against Canada. The countries are too battle it out for the vacant Americas 2 spot at Rugby World Cup 2019. The winner, on aggregate, will join Australia, Fiji, Georgia, and Wales in Pool D.
Canada, as the lower ranked of the two, have home advantage first up. The North Americans will host Los Teros at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver on Saturday, January 27.
Uruguay’s Head Coach, Estéban Meneses has named a 26-man roster to prepare for Vancouver. Of them 23 are to travel for the match. Three others are to join them in Vancouver from France.
23 of the 26 named are to depart Montevideo on Tuesday, January 16 for Houston, Texas. They are to arrive on Wednesday, January 17 and prepare to play a friendly against the SaberCats on January 20. It is to be the final fixture prior to facing Canada.
On January 22 Los Teros will travel to Vancouver. There they are to be joined by Felipe Berchesi, Rodrigo Capó Ortega, and Agustín Ormaechea. They play in three different divisions in France. Of them Capó Ortega is officially coming out of international retirement.
Missing are wingers Federico Favaro and Gastón Gibernau. Both started in the 2-0 series win over Namibia in November. Rodrigo Silva was fly half for that series but seems set to return to the outside backs to face Canada. Nicolás Freitas will similarly move from outside center to the wing.
The return fixture will be played on Saturday, February 3 at the Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo. That fixture is to double as an opening round match of the 2018 Americas Rugby Championship. In the two prior editions of the competition the team’s have a 1-1 record. With the home team always triumphing their upcoming clashes are all the more enticing.
FORWARDS
Matías Benítez (Champagnat), Mateo Sanguinetti (Los Cuervos), Germán Kessler (Los Cuervos), Carlos Pombo (Old Boys), Juan Echeverría (Old Christians), Mario Sagario (Carrasco Polo), Rodrigo Capó Ortega (Castres, FR), Ignacio Dotti (Los Cuervos), Manuel Leindekar (Oyonnax, FR), Diego Magno (MVCC), Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt., Old Boys), Rodolfo Garese (Carrasco Polo), Franco Lamanna (Mazamet, FR), Manuel Diana (Old Christians), Alejandro Nieto (Champagnat)
BACKS
Santiago Arata (Old Christians), Agustín Ormaechea (Strasbourg, FR), Germán Albanell (Old Boys), Felipe Berchesi (Dax, FR), Juan Manuel Cat (Old Boys), Joaquín Prada (Los Cuervos), Andrés Vilaseca (Old Boys), Nicolás Freitas (Carrasco Polo), Gastón Mieres (Lobos), Rodrigo Silva (Carrasco Polo)
A detailed roster list can be seen here.
