Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Rugby Americas have confirmed that the flagship Americas Rugby Championship (ARC) and second-tier Americas Rugby Challenge (ARCh) will not take place in 2020. The under-20 versions of those tournaments are also off due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A formal release from the organization says that discussions are ongoing for the potential of some ‘regional competition’ later this year. Any such competition, however, is likely to be confined to close neighbors with international air travel restricted and quarantines in place.
With domestic competitions currently on hold, any chances for test rugby in 2020 appear to be in South America. North American sources have indicated that Rugby Canada and USA Rugby are preparing to have no further international rugby this year with the current situation in the USA all but ending hopes for a cross-border series between the two rivals.
The Canadian border is currently closed to non-essential travel from the USA until July 21 and an extension of that ban is a strong possibility. Further compounding challenges is the strained financial condition of both unions making matches with zero or low attendance impractical.
Chances for test rugby in Latin America in 2020 similarly do not appear strong. The pandemic is still highly active in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina. Los Pumas will not play any home games this year, instead set to be sequestered in New Zealand for an abbreviated Rugby Championship.
The future of the ARC in its entirety had been called into question by Sudamérica Rugby president Sebastián Piñeyrua recently stemming from the results of the World Rugby election. ARN understands that while it remains uncertain, the tournament has the full support of Rugby Americas North with both Brazil and Chile favoring continuation.
