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

Rugby fever gaining increasingly in Chile
The Chilean president, Gabriel Boric received Chile’s test team, Los Cóndores, at the Salón O’Higgins in the Palacio La Moneda. The special occasion saw the leader of the country welcome and congratulate the national rugby team for qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time. Rugby fever is gaining increasingly in the country of 19 million people.

Uruguay go big for World Cup Sevens
Big names are on Uruguay’s roster to prepare for the 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup. Six players from the test team, Los Teros, are on the fourteen man roster. Juan Manuel Alonso, Bautista Amaya, Bautista Basso, Tomás Etcheverry, Carlos Deus and Mateo Viñals and eight others are in training now at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in the USA.

MLR talent in New Zealand provincial squads
As has now become custom, numerous players who have suited up in Major League Rugby will be taking part in the New Zealand national league. Many players will return in 2023, though a choice few may yet pick up Super Rugby deals if they can impress the selectors. Players from the Arrows, Gilgronis, Legion, Old Glory, Seawolves, Free Jacks, Warriors, Atlanta and New York will play in the NPC.

Lemoine points to World Cup of 24 competitors
Chilean head coach Pablo Lemoine said that he thinks Rugby World Cup 2027 will be expanded to be a 24-team tournament. Lemoine knows a thing or two about the subject matter. He played for Uruguay at two World Cups, coached Uruguay to another and now saw Chile qualify for their first tournament. He also missed out twice. He notes that notable markets including Canada, Russia and Spain are out of the next Men’s World Cup… The USA may miss out too.

 

UNDER

Canada fall short at Commonwealth Games
Canada missed out on medals at the Commonwealth Games in England. The Men’s team defeated Wales and Zambia and competed well vs Fiji on Day One. A 33-0 loss vs South Africa in the Quarter Finals was followed by defeats against Samoa and Scotland. The Canadian Women’s team claimed 4th overall, which equaled their finish in 2018. They rebounded from a heavy defeat to start the tournament to make the Semi Finals, but Fiji and again New Zealand proved superior.

Jamaica struggle though finish happy
Wallaby Samu Kerevi scored a hat-trick for Australia as they blitzed Jamaica 62-nil to start their account. From there the Caribbean team remained scoreless and well beaten in their remaining pool play as Kenya and Uganda won 45-0 and 40-0 respectively. Jamaica fell 45-7 to England next up but rebounded to beat Malaysia 28-7 and Sri Lanka 26-24.

Further Injury Set-backs for Benjamín Urdapilleta
Los Pumas traveled to Mendoza without Benjamín Urdapilleta. The Castres fly half remains unfit to play following his injury sustained in the Top 14 Final. Urdapilleta had been well-positioned to start for Argentina against Scotland in July. Instead, he missed the series through injury and is out of this Saturday’s Rugby Championship opener. Tomás Albornoz takes his place on the roster.

Off-Field Red Card Inconsistency 
The Rugby Championship will take place with the 20-minute red card laws. The law means that a player who receives a red card can be replaced by another player after 20 minutes. The 20 minute red card was recently rejected by World Rugby. The July Internationals were played under red card send-off rules. Inconsistencies are an enemy of sport.