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Uruguay’s Rugby World Cup preparations have been hit with a serious problem. First choice flanker Santiago Civetta is out with injury for the first half of 2023. Civetta is to undergo surgery on a torn Achilles heal tendon.
The 24-year-old flanker made his test debut for Uruguay in 2019. He quickly shot to the top to start in three matches at Rugby World Cup 2019. He started in the heroic win against Fiji in Kamaishi and also started against Georgia in Kumagaya and against Wales in Kumamoto.
The product of Old Boys in Montevideo currently has 23 test match caps. Since RWC he has been a mainstay in Los Teros. He helped Uruguay qualify for RWC 2023 in 2021 and was busy in the recent November tour.
For Uruguay, Civetta was playing alongside many Peñarol players. Civetta was a 2022 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) champion. Peñarol defeated Selknam 24-13 in the 2022 SLAR Final in Montevideo.
Peñarol will be without Civetta for the rebranded SLAR in 2023. Super Rugby Americas will begin on February 18 and conclude in June. Civetta will miss the entirety of the campaign. His recuperation is presently estimated for a return in July.
The slated return date means that the first Choice Uruguayan Flanker in danger of missing Rugby World Cup 2023. Uruguay will compete in, yet to be finalized, warm-up matches in July and August. Los Teros’ World Cup campaign will begin against France in Lille on September 14.
