Chile name squad to face Sudamérica XV

Pablo Lemoine has named his first squad as coach of Chile. As ever there is a mix of young and old for Los Condores, with five uncapped players named among the group of 25. The team will play a friendly against a Sudamérica XV on Saturday in preparation for their match against the Māori All Blacks next weekend.

New names are u20 graduates Javier Carrasco and Tomás Contreras, loosehead prop and center respectively, tighthead prop Nicolás Ovalle, hooker Francisco Pizarro, and scrumhalf Marcelo Torrealba. The latter has been a standout for the Chile Sevens side and was part of the Rugby Americas combine along with flanker Ignacio Silva.

Five players play their club rugby abroad. First choice tighthead José Tomás Munita is currently attached to Newbridge in Ireland, Nikola Bursic plays for the NOLA Gold of Major League Rugby, Anton Petrowitch from Rotherham in England, flyhalf Francisco González Moller from Easts in Sydney, and Barcelona winger Franco Velarde.

The list of absentees is long prohibitive. Among the most prominent missing are New Zealand-based tighthead Sergio de la Fuente, New Ireland arrival Lucca Avelli, and France-based professionals Ramón Ayerza, Pablo Huete, Simón Pardakhty, and Francisco de la Fuente. It remains to be seen if any will arrive in time for the Māori match.

A detailed squad list can be seen here.

FORWARDS
Javier Carrasco (Old Reds), Alfonso Lepe (Old Johns), José Tomás Munita (Newbridge, IR), Nicolás Ovalle (Old Boys), Oliver Thompson (PWCC), Tomás Dussaillant (Old Boys), Francisco Pizarro (Viña), Nikola Bursic (New Orleans Gold, US), Mario Mayol (Old Boys), Anton Petrowitsch (Rotherham Titans, UK), Alfonso Escobar (COBS), Eduardo Orpis (COBS), Javier Richard (COBS), Martín Sigren (Old Boys), Ignacio Silva (PWCC)

BACKS
Juan Pablo Perrotta (Uni Católica), Marcelo Torrealba (Old Boys), Francisco González Moller (Eastern Suburbs, AU), Santiago Videla (Old Boys), Felipe Brangier (PWCC), Tomás Contreras (COBS), Juan Pablo Larenas (Uni Católica), Franco Velarde (Barcelona, ES), Pedro Verschae (Viña), Tomás Ianiszewski (Old Locks)