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Colombia has set a target: qualify for RWC 2031. Colombia Rugby (FECO) President Andrés Gómez has clarified a pathway for Los Tucanes. It culminates with Colombia’s men’s test side competing at the Rugby World Cup in eleven years from now.
Planning for the longterm is already underway. Colombia have identified 50 players for the RWC 2023 qualifiers. The qualifying series is yet to be finalized, though Colombia are undermining Brazil, Chile and Paraguay as teams they need to beat.
Colombia are ranked 7th in the Americas Rankings. In other words, Colombia is the next best team behind the six countries in the Americas Rugby Championship (ARC). Indeed, Los Tucanes have done very well in the second division competition, the Americas Rugby Challenge (ARCh).
The strategic plans for this decade are for further success. ARCh wins over the Cayman Islands, Guyana, Mexico and Paraguay were amateur matches. They were also without Agen second-rower Andrés Zafra. He and Peñarol players Geovanny Carvajal, Diver Ceballos and Danny Giraldo are among the Colombians identified for RWC 2023 qualifiers.
Los Tucanes will evidently be changed before 2021 has begun. Colombia will have a team in the 2021 SLAR competition. Los Cafeteros Pro will not only provide Colombia with a professional rugby team, it will also provide unheard of opportunities for the country’s players against teams from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Aiming high is not just about 2031. FECO aims to firstly decrease the gap between Los Tucanes on the one hand and Brazil and Chile on the other. The union subsequently hopes that the 50 players will match Brazil and Chile in 2024, beat them in the RWC 2027 qualifiers and qualify for RWC 2031.
