Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Los Cóndores heroics in the Americas’ Rugby World Cup Qualifiers made headlines inside Chile and abroad. Chile made history by qualifying for a first Rugby World Cup and giving South America a record three teams in a World Cup.
Chile will play in Pool D of RWC 2023. The group also contains Argentina, England, Japan and Samoa. It is a pool requiring a variety of opponents. There is the flair of Japan and the muscle of Samoa. Then there is the rounded play of Argentina and England, two of the four semi finalists the last time that France hosted a Rugby World Cup.
Selecting a 33-man roster for the World Cup will require smart thinking. As shown in their qualifying wins over Canada and the USA, Los Cóndores play to a game plan that can be adapted from one match to the next. They did this particularly well going from the wet and winter of Santiago to the heat and summer of Denver against the USA.
PROJECTED FIRST XV
| ## | PLAYER | POS | CLUB | CAPS |
| 1 | Javier Carrasco | LH | Old Reds / Selknam | 13 |
| 2 | Diego Escobar | HO | COBS / Selknam | 3 |
| 3 | Matías Dittus | TH | Périgeux (FR) | 22 |
| 4 | Clemente Saavedra | LO | UE Santboiana (ES) | 15 |
| 5 | Javier Eissmann | LO | Uni Católica / Selknam | 17 |
| 6 | Martín Sigren (capt.) | FL | Old Boys / Selknam | 24 |
| 7 | Raimundo Martínez | FL | PWCC / Selknam | 7 |
| 8 | Alfonso Escobar | N8 | COBS / Selknam | 15 |
| 9 | Marcelo Torrealba | SH | Old Boys / Selknam | 8 |
| 10 | Rodrigo Fernández | FH/FB | COBS / Selknam | 19 |
| 11 | Franco Velarde | WI | El Salvador (ES) | 16 |
| 12 | Matías Garafulic | CE | COBS / Selknam | 8 |
| 13 | Domingo Saavedra | CE | Old Boys / Selknam | 23 |
| 14 | Nicolás Garafulic | WI/N8 | COBS / Selknam | 16 |
| 15 | Santiago Videla | FB/FH | Old Boys / Selknam | 20 |
Chile’s line-up is projected to closely match that which saw the country qualify for the World Cup. While there were changes between matches, in general terms there are solidified starting players across many positions.
Up front Pablo Lemoine has two choices – go heavy or go mobile at prop. Lemoine actually did both against the USA. The win in Denver featured a lighter side to bring on the heavy replacements in the second half. The first choice Chilean side has the heavy options as the benefit of time ought to have the players in prime conditioning.
Prime condition has been a feature of the second-row where Javier Eissmann, for instance, bulked up notably. He and Clemente Saavedra are the projected lock combination. It sees specialists starting with height and weight that will be essential in World Cup matches. Diego Escobar completes the projected starting front-row at hooker.
Martín Sigren is certain to start and captain Chile from flanker. Ignacio Silva may join him though ARN projects Raimundo Martínez, who is ten-years-younger, to start with Alfonso Escobar completing the back-row trio. Such a formation will give Chile an all-rounded forward pack.
The backs have seen movement though one certainty is Rodrigo Fernández at fly half. ARN backs former Major League Rugby player, Marcelo Torrealba to start inside him. Santiago Videla is the back-up fly half, though ARN deems him on course to play fullback. He has also started at center and wing for Chile and / or Selknam.
Matías Garafulic is a certain starter. He may play wing or inside center. Another certain starter is Domingo Saavedra. Their mid-field combination for Selknam is arguably Chile’s best bet looking to the World Cup. Nicolás Garafulic and Franco Velarde line-up as the wingers.
PROJECTED REPLACEMENTS
| 16 | Augusto Böhme | HO | Seattle Seawolves (US) | 18 |
| 17 | Salvador Lues | LH | COBS / Selknam | 7 |
| 18 | Vittorio Lastra | TH | Old Macks / Selknam | 22 |
| 19 | Augusto Sarmiento | LO | PWCC / Selknam | 15 |
| 20 | Ignacio Silva | FL | PWCC / Selknam | 36 |
| 21 | Lukas Carvallo | SH | PWCC / Selknam | 3 |
| 22 | Pablo Casas | CE/FB | Lousã (PT) | 12 |
| 23 | Francisco Urroz | FB/FH | Old Reds / Selknam | 10 |
Chile’s replacements are all players who toppled the USA Eagles; indeed, many started. Augusto Böhme’s move to the MLR helped the test side; others gained from more opportunities with Selknam. The projected replacement props are notably more mobile than the starters.
Augusto Sarmiento and Ignacio Silva are battle-hardened replacements for the second-row and flanker respectively. In fact, both will be more than appropriate to start much like the front-row replacements.
Despite having just three test caps, Lukas Carvallo has proven to be a very capable scrum-half. His line-breaking abilities gave Los Cóndores opportunities from which to exploit the opposition. Pablo Casas played well against the USA at center. He is another who could slot in to the starting XV with ease. Finally, Francisco Urroz has the tactial kicking to play fullback or fly half depending on how a match unfolds.
PROJECTED TRAVELING REPLACEMENTS
| 24 | Tomás Dussaillant | HO | Old Boys / Selknam | 35 |
| 25 | Ramón Ayarza | LH | Charente (FR) | 15 |
| 26 | Iñaki Gurruchaga | TH | Old Johns / Selknam | 7 |
| 27 | Santiago Pedrero | LO | COBS / Selknam | 2 |
| 28 | Thomas Orchard | LO/FL | Old Lions / Selknam | 12 |
| 29 | Santiago Edwards | FL | Old Boys / Selknam | – |
| 30 | Nicolás Herreros | SH | Aparejadores (ES) | 5 |
| 31 | Iñaki Ayarza | CE/WI | Charente (FR) | 9 |
| 32 | José Ignacio Larenas | CE | Uni Católica / Selknam | 44 |
| 33 | Luca Strabucchi | WI | Alumni / Selknam | 2 |
Selknam’s contribution to Chile is noted not only thorughout the projected match-day 23; but, also on the entire roster. Tomás Dussaillant as hooker and Thomas Orchard covering two positions are cases in point. Chile’s depth is at an all-time high.
Ramón Ayarza was not selected for the RWC qualifiers against the USA; though, his pasrt peformances and age point to a place on the rostewr. Santiago Edwards is the one uncapped player. He started against Scotland ‘A’. Were it not for injury he may well have been capped in the series against the USA.
