2018 Women’s Youth Olympic Games Qualifiers – Preview

The Brazilian city of São José dos Campos takes center stage on Friday and Saturday for Women’s rugby. The heartland city of Brazilian rugby is the setting for this weekend’s qualifying tournament for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

The Youth Olympic Games are to be played in October in Buenos Aires. Looking to compete in the Argentine capital are five South American Women’s teams. The successful qualifier will join five others from different qualifying zones from around the world.

Taking to the field at the Estádio Martins Pereira this Friday and Saturday will be the Women’s u18 sides from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay. The winner will seal their place in Buenos Aires 2018.

 

BRAZIL
The host nation are favorites to win the Women’s Youth Olympic Games qualifiers. Women’s Rugby Sevens is strong in Brazil. Clubs are heavily involved in this with the CBRu pushing through a policy to build the game for both genders.

At the senior level Brazil has dominated international competitions in South America. This has filtered down to the u18’s too.

Prospects: Champions

ROSTER
Andressa do Nascimento Alves, Anne Crystyan Oliveira dos Santos, Arielly Medeiros, Beatriz Liviniec Fortunato Pereira, Eshyllen Coimbra Cardoso, Fernanda Pasternack Lobato, Giovanna Nayla Olio, Giulia Rodrigues da Mota, Juliana Carneiro Brandão de Melo, Maria Cristina Pereira Fernandes, Milena Batista Mariano Silva, Ryanne Vanessa Siqueira de Sousa, Silvana Oliveira Alves dos Santos, Luisa Negraes Eschberger

 

ARGENTINA
Entering the tournament as second seeds are Argentina. The women’s game has only taken on added importance in recent times. As such Argentina’s Women’s teams are not the same dominant force in South America as are the men.

An upset is possible though Argentina very much enter the competition behind Brazil. It would be a notable result for Argentina to defeat the hosts. Their match-up on day one of the tournament may be viewed as a preview of the Cup Final.

Prospects: Second Place

ROSTER
Giuliana Aguero, Antonella Slame, Lara Capdevila, Lourdes Salinas, Brisa Trigo, Mayra Barrionuevo, Guadalupe Montoro, Sofia Recalde, Agostina Giomatti, Sofía Urriza, Dolores Berti, Malena Díaz

 

CHILE
Chile are ever-present in South American Rugby competitions. At times Chilean teams have the ability to upset the order and claim phenomenal results. Doing so this weekend in São José dos Campos would be truly monumental. They enter the tournament with a favorable schedule but must knock-over either Argentina or Brazil on day one.

Prospects: Fourth Place

ROSTER
Massiel Arancibia Sandoval, Antonieta Badiella, Britany Baeza Landeros, Constanza Cáceres Herrera, Antonieta Figueroa Alvorado, Karin Granfeld Ortíz, Valentina Guerra Retamal, Francesa Olate Cárcamo, Francisca Oyarzún Leyton, Sofia Piñones Bahamondes, Daniella Román Jiménez, Catalina Villarroel Astete

 

COLOMBIA
Las Tucanes have no interest in traveling to São José dos Campos just to play rugby. They are there to make history. Indeed in the qualifying matches for the 2016 Olympic Games Colombia’s senior women’s team made history by sealing their place at Rio 2016. Argentina missed out.

Prospects: Third Place

ROSTER
Laura Mejía, Carmén Beatriz Ibarra, Marta Tatiana Jiménez, Silvia Juliana Pereira, Maryuri Gabriela Romero, Marcela Osorio, Valentina Tapias, Isabel Ramírez, Leidy Viviana Soto, Elizabeth Marín, Stefania Sarmiento, Karen Yulissa Cárdenas

 

PARAGUAY
Entering the tournament as the bottom seed is Paraguay. The Women’s program of Colombia is better than that of Paraguay’s. This is true despite it being the opposite in men’s rugby. Paraguay’s investments in a national rugby stadium and High Performance Center provide the foundations for future progress.

Prospects: Fifth Place

ROSTER
Cecilia Benza, Luana Pardo, Kamylla Romero, Monserrath Caballero, Tatiana Figueredo, Verónica Romero, Guadelupe Olmedo, Perla Roa, Camilla Escurra, Liz Benítez, Melani Melgarejo, Sara Lezcano

 

FIXTURES
Friday March 02
10:00am Brazil vs Chile
10:22am Argentina vs Colombia
12:14pm Brazil vs Paraguay
12:36pm Argentina vs Chile
3:28pm Colombia vs Paraguay
3:50pm Argentina vs Brazil

Saturday March 03
10:00am Chile vs Paraguay
10:22am Brazil vs Colombia
12:14pm Argentina vs Paraguay
12:36pm Chile vs Colombia

3:00pm Bronze Final (3rd vs 4th)
3:22pm Cup Final (1st vs 2nd)