Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
In France today Castres upset Montpellier to win the Top 14 Final. The David vs Goliath battle saw the underdogs playing smart rugby to upset the favorites. The 29-13 victory gives Castres a second title in six years.
The match carried great emotion from both Uruguay and Argentina. Indeed there was a starting player from both sides of the Rio de la Plata for Castres. These players were Rodrigo Capó Ortega and Benjamín Urdapilleta.
Capó Ortega captained Castres, doing so at the age of 37. This is no ordinary player. He has been playing for the same club non-stop since 2002. Today was his third appearance in a Top 14 Final and his second victory.
Urdapilleta was making his first appearance in a Top 14 Final. His career has been of note due to Argentina’s poor use of him for international duty and a club failing to get the best out of him. That club is Harlequins who though his departure to Oyonnax in the Pro D2 was not a lose.
Not only did Oyonnax get an underused player but they were able to mold their game around him and win promotion to the Top 14. Indeed Urdapilleta made history with the club appearing the Top 14 play-off’s for the first time.
Oyonnax’s impressive run with Urdapilleta at fly half caught the attention of many in France. He moved on to Castres in 2015 and has had a dream season, culminated with today’s Top 14 title victory. Urdapilleta scored 19 points in the final, doing so via five penalties and two conversions.
Urdapilleta’s performance saw him being named Man of the Match. The debate will now resurface as to what Argentina should be doing with Los Pumas. Urdapilleta is a player in a position in which Los Jaguares only have one specialist, Nicolás Sánchez.
Calls for Urdapilleta to be in the frame are certain to result. Indeed a call-up for RWC 2019 looms as being a logical move. His style of play and talent are well suited to Argentina’s RWC 2019 pool matches against Tonga and the USA.
