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Colombia have identified 50 players for Rugby World Cup France 2023 qualifiers. Los Tucanes will compete in regional qualifiers as they seek to qualify for a historic first RWC appearance.
44 of the players named play their rugby in Colombia. The 6 remaining players are based abroad. Of the foreign-based players the most well known is Andrés Zafra. He plays for Agen in France’s elite league, the Top 14.
Three of the players were recruited by Uruguayan side Peñarol for the 2020 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). All three were named on the 50-man long list. They are second-rower Danny Giraldo, flanker Diver Ceballos, and center Geovanny Carvajal. Major League Rugby also has a player: Julio Giraldo of Rugby United New York.
Colombia will have a team in the 2021 SLAR competition. Los Cafeteros Pro is likely to have many of the players identified for the RWC 2023 qualifiers.
The list was selected and named by Head Coach Sebastian Mejía. A former Tucanes N8 himself, Mejía, captained Los Tucanes in prior RWC qualifiers.
COLOMBIA
1 – Mauricio Espinal
2 – Yani Pérez
3 – Nicolás Escobar
4 – Carlos Alberto Angulo
5 – Gustavo Fajardo
6 – Deivi Henao
7 – Diego Posada
8 – Jorge Alvarez
9 – Carlos Yepez
10 – Santiago Huertas
11 – Andrés Arango
12 – Daniel Guttierez Muñoz
13 – Simeón González
14 – Brayhan Pérez
15 – John Carlos Alvarez
16 – Sebastián Zapata
17 – Andrés Zafra
18 – Pablo Lasso
19 – Jhojan Larrota
20 – Danny Giraldo
21 – Diver Ceballos
22 – Julián Velandia
23 – Felipe Aguirre
24 – Julio Giraldo
25 – Andrés Vanegas
26 – Harold Palacio
27 – Gerson Ortiz
28 – Nicolás Cadavid
29 – Jorge Gamboa
30 – Julian Navarro
31 – Alejandro Vanegas
32 – Oscár Forero
33 – Andrés Alvarez
34 – Daniel Villa
35 – Jhojan Ortiz
36 – Neider García
37 – Juan Sebastián Giraldo
38 – Brayan Campiño
39 – Alejandro Navarro
40 – Maicol Machado
41 – Bryan Medrano
42 – Juan Davila
43 – Cristian Rodallegas
44 – Alvaro Gamarra
45 – Juan Pablo Taborda
46 – Geovanny Carvajal
47 – Arley Urrutia
48 – Alejandro Guisao
49 – Yhonathan Quintero
50 – Santiago Mejía
