Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
After considerable delay, the match schedule for the inaugural Súper Liga Americana de Rugby has been confirmed. As per the tournament launch in November, five teams will compete in the main competition with a sixth – Cafeteros Pro from Colombia – to play two exhibition games in May.
The league will kick off on Wednesday, March 4, in Montevideo where Peñarol will host Selknam from Chile. Each team will play the other four teams with one bye during the first five weeks of the tournament. After a one-week break for all teams, the cycle repeats itself with home teams reversed.
Notably three teams will be required to play with only four days rest at the end of April. Two games will be played on Wednesday, April 29, to avoid clashing with the May 1 long weekend.
After the eight-game regular season, each team will play two playoff matches. The 5th-place team will host Cafeteros with two games in five days. The top four teams enter the Semi Finals to be played on Friday, May 22, with a Bronze Final on Wednesday, May 27, and the Cup Final set for Friday, May 29.
Kickoff times and most venues are still to be confirmed. Peñarol will play their homes games at the Estadio Charrúa, with Olimpia to use the newly-upgraded Estadio Héroes de Curupyty in Asunción.
Meanwhile Argentine franchise Ceibos have confirmed two preseason matches. They will face Los Pumitas on April 21 with one half each against club sides Córdoba Athletic and Palermo Bajo on April 28.
Training is already well underway for Ceibos, Peñarol, and Olimpia but the rosters of Selknam and Corinthians remain a mystery. Selknam have reportedly confirmed their squad internally with a public reveal imminent.
There has been little progress with Corinthians. The cash-strapped CBRu is struggling to organize the side with the national team – Os Tupis – training under coach Fernando Portugal in the interim.
The schedule in its entirety as well as current rosters can be seen here.
