Uncapped Americas Players to watch out for in 2021

There does not look to be Americas Rugby Championship on the table in 2021. There will, however, be international competition within both North and South America and between both regions. The Americas qualifiers for Rugby World Cup 2023 will be played in the coming year.

Competing in the qualifiers will be seven countries, two from the North and five from the South. Of those two are certain to join Argentina at RWC 2023, with a third capable of qualifying through the Repechage – the method required by Canada to compete at RWC 2019.

There will also be matches outside of the RWC qualifiers. Both Argentina and Uruguay will play in Europe in November 2021. Los Pumas will face France and one other side that month. In addition there could be home tests in July and six matches in the Rugby Championship.

While the first year of a new World Cup cycle is the most common spot for new players to enter the international arena, limited opportunities pushed much of that forward by a year. Below we take a look at who might make their test debut in 2021.

 

ARGENTINA
Ten of Mario Ledesma’s 2020 Tri Nations roster did not receive game time, nine of them uncapped. Of those 20-year-old center Lucio Cinti came closest, being an unused replacement in the historic win over New Zealand. Cinti has already played for the Pumas Sevens and offers uncommon height and offloading ability to the backline.

Ledesma relied on 35-year-old Francisco Gomez Kodela to anchor the scrum at tighthead prop this year but will almost certainly look to 26-year-old Joël Sclavi next year. He returned from a stint in Europe to force his way into the Jaguares lineup earlier in the year. As his nickname suggests, ‘El Toro’ is a fearsome specimen who would have debuted in 2020 had injury not intervened.

Among others to watch for are European-based looseheads Ignacio Calles and Facundo Gigena, mobile second row Rodrigo Fernández Criado, and highly promising scrumhalf Gonzalo García. The latter will be observed closely with Ceibos in the 2021 SLAR campaign.

 

BRAZIL
Four players made their debuts during the year-end tour to Portugal for Os Tupis, and more certainly would have had the South American Championship been given full test status. As such there won’t be such a large batch of newcomers in 2021 but there are a handful to keep an eye out for.

Two young front rowers are inching towards test selection. Leonardo ‘Neymar‘ de Souza is a similar player to Wilton Rebolo in being able to cover both hooker and prop. A more traditional specialist is Henrique Ferreira, aka ‘Caminhoneiro’, who is touted to become the long-term successor to the legendary Jardel Vettorato at tighthead prop.

Gabriel Oliviera debuted at lock this year and should be soon followed by Kauã Guimarães and Filippo Bugno, both of whom are tall timber at 6’6″ (1.98m). Certain to debut on the flank is South African import Devon Müller, with u20 graduate Guilherme Dias another possible in the back row.

 

CANADA
A record number of Canadian players will suit up in MLR next season, among them new RUNY signing Quinn Ngawati. At 6’4″ (1.94m) he has the size and skill to be a top class player and it will be no surprise if he is fast-tracked into the test group next year.

Equally promising is France-based lock Tyler Duguid. Despite being only 20 years old, he would already be the biggest man in Canada’s forward pack. Duguid is currently tearing up trees in the Montpellier academy side and it’s just a question of when, not if, he will make the senior squad.

Established club standouts who are yet to debut are Northland captain and hooker Jordan Olsen and Austin openside Moe Abdelmonem. Both would likely have won their first caps in 2020 under different cirumstances. New names added to the mix who are eligible via ancestry are Arrows scrumhalf Jason Higgins and LA blindside Corey Thomas.

 

CHILE
Los Cóndores have a relatively settled player roster. The team for the 2020 South American 4 Nations was not experimental, with the bulk of Pablo Lemoine’s roster established regulars. There were, nonetheless, a handful of uncapped players.

One who impressed is Esteban Inostroza. A virtual unknown when he was named in the Selknam roster early in the year, by the end of 2020 he had stamped his name as one of the best props in the country. Inostroza prefers tighthead but can play both sides of the scrum. He is an enormous man who put in some thunderous hits during the 4 Nations tournament.

Another certainty to debut is second row Santiago Pedrero. Making the jump directly from the national u20 side, he has the frame and competitive nature to be a fixture in the side for years to come. Others on the radar are 19-year-old playmaker Diego Warnken and 20-year-old outside back Matías Garafulic.

 

COLOMBIA
Back in August, Colombia identified 50 players for the RWC 2023 qualifiers. The long list contained established names and newcomers. It was a guide for both the present and the future of Los Tucanes.

One of the notable names on the 50-man list was Julio Giraldo. The openside flanker has represented his country at u18 level but remains uncapped. Giraldo became the first Colombian to play in MLR earlier this year and is certain to be sounded out by coach David Jaramillo for the upcoming qualifiers.

Three names of note are players from the 2019 Colombian u20 side. Captain and flyhalf Daniel Villa Sánchez had a strong tournament. So too did Spartans second row Jorge Gamboa and Juncos flanker Alejandro Guisado. All could earn promotion to the test side in 2021.

 

PARAGUAY
The 2020 Olímpia Lions roster featured three types of players – Paraguayan test players, foreign players with prior representative rugby, and a group of age-grade internationals. It’s the latter that will come under focus this coming SLAR season and beyond.

Two recent u20 graduates who remain uncapped are scrumhalf Nicolás Cabral and outside back Arturo López. Cabral was the third scrumhalf option for Olimpia but had a chance to train under Spain’s Facundo Munilla and Namibia star Damian Stevens. The 21-year-old is a strong bet for senior honors in 2021.

López is from Argentina but is now committed to Paraguay. Capable of playing outside center or wing, the 22-year-old isn’t the biggest physically but has blistering pace and can step off either foot. He should join Marcelo Matiauda, another youngster already capped, in the Yakarés backline this coming year.

 

URUGUAY
The November tour saw promising fullback José Iruleguy debut but another prospect who could become a regular starter just missed out. Baltazar Amaya has shown his nose for the tryline at age-grade level and with Teros regulars Leandro Leivas, Gastón Mieres, and Federico Favaro pushing up in age a spot in the wing could soon be his.

Meanwhile Juan Manuel Cat’s decision to step away for the time being may open the door for uncapped center. Nicolás Freitas looks to be the preferred stand-in but one of Alfonso Costa, Juan Manuel Alonso, or Felipe Arcos Pérez could get a look in the No13 shirt.

Up front there are openings for new talent. Look for any of Ezequiel Ramos, Nahuel Sánchez, and Reinaldo Piussi to get a look at prop. Agustín Conserva and Emiliano Faccennini are in the running at hooker. Another to watch is Maxime Sonneveld, one of the country’s best young flankers.

 

USA
The rise of MLR has expanded the Eagles player pool significantly with the emergence of talented youngsters and soon the addition of some notable imports on residency. In the latter camp are second row pair Charlie Hewitt and Ben Mitchell who should both be on Gary Gold’s radar this coming year. Seattle captain Riekert Hattingh qualified in 2019 and the try-scoring No8 should debut in 2021.

If Roman Salanoa won’t commit for now, there is a chance for Austin’s Mason Pedersen to get a look at tighthead prop. Of course he’ll have to fend off teammate Paddy Ryan to do so. On the loosehead side, NOLA’s Matt Harmon looks like an Eagle in waiting.

LA center Mika Kruse has lost a bit of momentum but remains one to watch. Utah flanker Bailey Wilson looked awfully promising this year and looks set for a big 2021, and there are some US-eligibles unearthed we’re keen on seeing in MLR. In particular Free Jacks flanker Joe Johnston and a couple flyhalves – New England’s Harrison Boyle and LA’s Luke Carty.