Up and Under

Up and Under is a weekly exclusive on Americas Rugby News. It takes a dive into the best and worst involving Americas Rugby from the past week.

 

UP

Increasing Uruguayan Depth
In the latest edition of World Cup Radar, ARN looks at the potential formation of Uruguay’s roster for Rugby World Cup 2023. The situation is a healthy one; Uruguay has more players of a higher level to call-upon when compared to previous Rugby World Cups. Every one of the names is from Uruguay and a product of the national system. Depth in 2023 is an improvement from the past and there is reason for optimism looking forward.

Dogos make history on debut
Los Dogos defeated Pampas 38-35 in Super Rugby Americas preseason action on Friday evening. The historic match was played at the Deportiva Francesa club in Buenos Aires, where the great Juan Martín Hernández began his career. It was the first game played by the two new Argentine entries in the competition, and also the first time two professional teams from Argentina had gone head-to-head.

San Diego Legion sends MLR warning
The Major League Rugby 2023 pre-season closed with the San Diego Legion completing an impressive result against the Utah Warriors. The Californians were 51-26 winners. The Legion may have sent out a warning to rivals. Old Glory DC also performed well, beating the Toronto Arrows 42-14 to close out preseason duties.

Houston SaberCats bite the Free Jacks
The Houston SaberCats took the bragging rights in their preseason contest against the New England Free Jacks on Wednesday evening. A dominant showing from their forward pack set the platform to the 34-21 result that saw the home side outscore their guests five tries to three. The New England Free Jacks begin their MLR season on Friday away to NOLA Gold while Houston will do so away to Dallas on February 19.

MLR to land in Miami with an Argentine accent
Major League Rugby will expand into Florida in 2024. A new team, the Miami Sharks, will join the competition. The Miami Sharks team is led by Ronaldo “Kony” Strazzolini, Alejandro Macfarlane, and billionaire Marcos Galperin. This gives the franchise an Argentine connection. Veteran Pumas scrum-half Tomás Cubelli is also involved. There is excitement within the Argentine rugby community about this project.

Jacareí gets Brazil’s first ever rugby stadium
History was made in Brazil over the weekend. The country’s first ever rugby stadium was unveiled in the city of Jacareí in São Paulo state. The project has been organized by local government; the city hall proudly opened the Parque Morro de Cristo. The venue will be a must-see for rugby visitors to Brazil. With spectacular views and being overlooked by a Christ statue it will be popular.

Tries to Francisco Gorrissen, Santiago Grondona and Lucio Cinti
Pumas were try scorers for their professional clubs in France and England over the weekend. Francisco Gorrissen touched down for Vannes in a crucial 40-37 win over Montauban. Vannes move up to 8th and are closing in on a play-offs spot. Santiago Grondona scored for the Exeter Chiefs against the Sale Sharks while Lucio Cinti scored for London Irish in a 30-18 victory over the Northampton Saints.

Double and Praise for Andrés Vilaseca
Uruguayan captain Andrés Vilaseca joined Francisco Gorrissen in scoring for Vannes. He scored not one but twice in the Pro D2 victory. Rugby Rama praised the performance of Vilaseca, saying he stood out against Montauban. ARN has no doubt that Vilaseca would do well in the Top 14. He and Nicolás Freitas are teammates at Vannes and loom as Uruguay’s starting centers to face France in the World Cup.

Pumas sign new contracts in Europe
Player recruitment this past week saw three Pumas signing new contracts. Jerónimo de la Fuente extended his stay at Top 14 club Perpignan. Lucas Mensa signed to transfer from Mont de Marsan to Oyonnax. This sees him joining the league leaders who are well-placed to win promotion to the Top 14. Utility back Lucio Cinti signed an extension with London Irish.

 

UNDER

Eligibility Rules are a disservice to the World Cup
ARN released a detailed list of players from Rugby World Cups 2015 and 2019 who can change allegiance to play for another country at RWC 2023. Who they are and who will benefit is of note. The changes were officially brought about to help Tier 2 teams be more competitive. The outcome is very unbalanced with Canada, Chile, Georgia, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Uruguay and the USA all losing out. Samoa and Tonga are the major winners; yet, so are Scotland. Indeed, the world no 5 Scotland have already benefited while Uruguay suffer from the changes.

Pre-season losses for MLR newcomers Chicago Hounds
The Chicago Hounds took the field for the first time at Frank Brown Park on February 9. Rugby ATL and the American Raptors provided opposition in short scrimmages played in Panama City Beach. Results didn’t go Chicago’s way, with ATL scoring a 26-7 win and the Raptors finishing on top 14-0. A memorable moment came when Luke Beauchamp crossed in the first half against ATL to score the first try in Hounds franchise history.

Some Disadvantaged by Paris Camp?
Argentina will have a three-day training camp in Paris, France in March. This will occur during the Super Rugby Pacific season which means Martín Bogado and Santiago Medrano will miss out. Pablo Matera’s involvement is unknown at this stage. The camp will involve 35 players, thus a gathering of Los Pumas’ probable roster for 2023 international duty including the World Cup.

Awkward Sponsorship in MLR
Rugby ATL unveiled a new partnership with Arrow Exterminators. It guarantees banter during the MLR campaign, notably so when Rugby ATL take-on the Toronto Arrows. Also this past week, the Toronto Arrows announced Pizza Hut as a new partner.

https://twitter.com/RugbyATL/status/1623394815088988160?s=20&t=4Otsng0DcWgWwY5UhSj-KQ