Up and Under

Up and Under is a weekly exclusive on Americas Rugby News. It covers the best and worst from games involving the Americas players and teams over the previous week.

UP

Jamaica are Sevens Kings of the Caribbean
Jamaica claimed victory at the Rugby Americas North 7s at Meridian Field on Sunday. It’s the third title for the Crocs since 2017, and fourth overall. It was an unbeaten run for the pre-tournament favorites, who conceded only three tries across six games. Mexico would be their opponents in the final but Jamaica outscored their opponents three tries to one. Belize finished ninth in their first ever international tournament but enjoyed a moment of history as Dayton Warrior scored their first and only try of the tournament on a kick-and-chase from Orlando Castillo.

Uruguay’s two match November tour becomes three
Uruguay have added a match to their November 2021 European tour. The third fixture will be the second of three matches for Los Teros on the European continent in November. Unlike, the two others the added fixture will be uncapped Uruguay will face Italy A in Padua on Sunday, November 14. The other matches are fully capped tests on the continent. The first is against Romania and the final tour match will be against RWC 2023 opponents Italy.

Canadian Women’s roster packed with pros for November Internationals
Canada will not be short of professionals for their November tests against the USA, England and Wales. Included are 11 players currently for European clubs included with six more who featured in France or England last season. Exeter Chiefs supply an entire front row trio of Olivia DeMerchant, Emily Tuttosi, and DaLeaka Menin while five players remain uncapped – second row Laetitia Royer, flyhalf pair Julia Schell and Nakisa Levale, three-quarter Sarah-Maude Lachance and outside back Renee Gonzalez.

Strong Pro supply also in USA Women’s Eagles
A record number of 12 England-based professionals highlight the USA squad for their upcoming November test series. The Women’s Eagles will play Canada twice at Infinity Park and face Ireland in Dublin and England in Worcester. All four Exeter standouts get the call including Jennine Detiveaux who has fully recovered from a serious hamstring injury that sidelined the winger for several months. Former Chiefs hooker Joanna Kitlinski is also named, along with four props now plying their trade overseas. Five members of the USA Sevens side are also selected.

Arrows find target in long-awaited return to Toronto
A Toronto Arrows XV cruised to a 57-10 win over the Atlantic Selects at the new-look York Lions Stadium on Saturday evening. Dubbed the ‘Rugby Rally’, the match marked the return of the Arrows to Toronto for the first time since the 2019 Major League Rugby season, an absence of 867 days. The Arrows lineup was a mix of senior MLR players, academy members, and local trialists, with the Selects comprised of club players from New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Also featuring was Arrows draft pick Sam Mace.

‘The King’ to wear NOLA Gold
This past week we took a look at all the recent updates from the Major League Rugby off-season, including expansion talk, the start of preseason, and some big names switching teams. Old Glory picked up league convert Junior Sa’u, some Super Rugby talent is arriving in Wayne van der Bank and Willie Britz, and then there was the news from New Orleans. ‘The King’ will soon be wearing Gold. NOLA have enlisted former All Blacks star Carlos Spencer as an Assistant Coach with a focus on skills and attack for the 2022 Major League Rugby season.

Full return for World Sevens Series
A full-length World Sevens Series will return in November with 10 men’s and 7 women’s tournaments scheduled through May 2022. Most notable is the hosting debut of Spain, who welcome back-to-back tournaments in January to Málaga and Seville. Toulouse, another new venue, will serve as the final event of the season for the Women while the Men complete their circuit a week later at Twickenham. Contingencies for further pandemic disruptions are being put in place. Let’s hope they are minimal.

26 Pumas played this past weekend
There was a large supply of Pumas taking to the field this past weekend. 26 capped players featured. It gives Argentina no shortage of options for the November Internationals. The roster for the three match tour of France, Italy, and Ireland is due out on Thursday this week. The 0-6 record in the Rugby Championship suggests that changes are coming for November. Of those left out Agustín Creevy, Lucas Mensa and Facundo Cordero were try scorers this past weekend.

UNDER

Canada-free APC
We’ve known this since the announcement of the Americas Pacific Challenge, but as other teams name development sides with young and interesting prospects we are left to wonder if Canada is missing an opportunity here. Particularly given the results of last weekend, this could have been a chance to send the Pride – or perhaps a Coastal Cup select side – to a meaningful international competition. In the meantime we look forward to casting an eye on rising talent from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the USA.

Argentina lose prop to Italy
Iván Nemer will play for Italy. The loose head prop joined Benetton for the 2020-2021 Pro 14 season and subsequently signed an extended contract for what was rebranded to be the United Rugby Championship (URC). Italy named Nemer on their roster for the November Internationals. It comes after he was not named on Argentina’s roster for the 2021 Rugby Championship while fellow Italian-based Argentine URC props Thomas Gallo and Eduardo Bello were. Nemer went through the domestic high performance system and was an Argentine u18’s and u20’s player.

Argentines out of Pumas positions in Europe
As noted earlier, there was a large number of Pumas taking to the field in Europe this past weekend. There was more than enoguh to field an entire test team, including replacements; all positions were covered. Yet, there were players feaurting in positions different to those that Mario Ledesma fielded them in during the recent Rugby Championship. Ledesma had Santiago Carreras at fly half and Guido Petti at lock. They played fullback and flanker for Gloucester and Bordeaux this past weekend.

Tomás Lavanini sidelined through injury
Argentina’s roster for November is due out later on this week. It will not be likely to include Tomás Lavanini. The Pumas second-rower was injured playing for Clermont against Stade Français. He is out for three weeks which means he will not be fit for the naming of the roster. If he is included it will mean he is unable to face France but could be fit in time for Italy and Ireland.