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Nicolás Freitas is departing Uruguay to play professional rugby in France. The star back of Los Teros is joining Pro D2 side Vannes. The move will be his first taste of professional rugby outside of South America and his third overall.
Vannes has previously been home to one other Uruguay; Gastón Szabo spent three seasons with the club. He also played for Stade Bagnerais for nine seasons. Szabo was a one-time Tero. He played prop for Uruguay against Italy in 2007.
Nicolás Freitas joins Vannes following two seasons in the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) for Peñarol. He was among the best players in the South American league in 2021, the first complete season of SLAR.
Freitas played in three positions for Peñarol – wing, outside center and inside center. When he played inside center he also filled in for Andrés Vilaseca to captain the Uruguayan SLAR franchise. The same has also been the case for Los Teros; Freitas’ versatility has aided Uruguay tremendously. He started in the centers to see Uruguay past the USA to qualify for RWC 2023.
Vannes will be Freitas’ fourth club. He is a product of Carrasco Polo in Montevideo. He was recuited by Los Jaguares for the 2017 Super Rugby season. He missed out on game time but remained highly active for Uruguay.
He went through the Uruguayan junior system before making his test debut against Paraguay in 2014. He became a starting winger for Los Teros in 2016 and now has 44 test caps. Four of Freitas’ caps were earned at RWC 2019. He started against Fiji in Kamaishi; Georgia in Kumagaya; Australia in Oita; and Wales in Kumamoto.
Freitas has nine test tries for Uruguay; yet, it is his workrate rather than finishing that is the central feature of his game. Freitas is both an excellent defender, and counter-ruck player. He will join Argentine back-rowers Rodrigo Bruni and Francisco Gorrissen at Vannes.
