Chile Brotherhood on Display at Rugby World Cup 2023

Brotherhood will truly be on display when Chile take to the field in France. Chile’s roster for their inaugural Rugby World Cup contains four sets of brothers. Two of the four sets of brothers also include players whose fathers also played for Chile.

Alfonso Escobar and Diego Escobar

Forwards Alfonso Escobar and Diego Escobar are brothers. They are products of Santiago club Craighouse Old Boys, more commonly known as COBS.

Alfonso Escobar plays back-row and is Chile’s starting N8. He presently has 18 test caps to his name. He made his debut for Chile against Brazil in 2018. Diego Escobar is three years younger. The hooker debuted as a replacement against Russia in

2021.

Alfonso Escobar and Diego Escobar are second generation Cóndores. Their father, Alfonso also played test rugby for Chile. Alfonso Escobar turns 26 this week while Diego Escobar is aged 23. Both players are important for Chile now and over the coming years.

 

Matías Garafulic and Nicolás Garafulic

Matías Garafulic and Nicolás Garafulic also come from the COBS club. Matías is the younger of the brothers. He will turn 23 a week before the World Cup begins. Nicolás Garafulic will turn 25 the day after Chile’s World Cup debut against Japan in Toulouse.

The younger of the brothers made his debut against Brazil in 2021. He did so in a Rugby World Cup Qualifier. Nicolás Garafulic debuted three years earlier in the Americas Rugby Championship.

Nicolás Garafulic was a try scorer as a replacement back-rower on debut against Brazil.

Matías Garafulic plays mainly at inside center. He has also played at both outside center and on the wing for Chile and Selknam. Nicolás Garafulic plays mainly on the wing though played N8 throughout the regular season of the 2021 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) for Selknam.

 

Clemente Saavedra and Domingo Saavedra

Clemente Saavedra and Domingo Saavedra are more than brothers; they are twin brothers. Born on December 15, 1997 Los Saavedra’s are from a rugby family. Their father, Emilio Saavedra was also a Cóndor.

Domingo Saavedra was the first to make his test debut. He did so against Hong Kong in 2017. Clemente Saavedra debuted the following year against Paraguay. Domingo Saavedra is Chile’s regular starting outside center while Clemente Saavedra plays at

both flanker and second-row. The former is his natural position though he moves across both to meet the needs of the team.

Domingo Saavedra takes 24 test caps with him to the World Cup while Clemente Saavedra has been capped 20 times. Los Saavedra’s are from Old Grangonian Club in Santiago. Also known as Old Boys, the club joins COBS as being among the giants of Chilean rugby.

 

Benjamín Videla and Santiago Videla

Like Clemente Saavedra and Domingo Saavedra the Videla brothers are also products of Old Boys in the Chicureo area of the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Benjamín Videla is 22 and Santiago Videla is 25.

Benjamín Videla is uncapped by Chile. His selection is, nonetheless, not a surprise. He has played for the Chile XV in uncapped matches and for Selknam in Super Rugby Americas.

His natural position is scrum-half but he has also played at professional level on both the wing and at fly half.

Capable of playing fly half, wing, inside center or fullback, Santiago Videla is a top name for Chile. He is also the regular goal-kicker for Los Cóndores and captained Selknam in Super Rugby Americas 2023. He made his debut for Chile against Kenya in 2017. He presently has 25 test caps to his name.

 

CHILE ROSTER – RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023

LOOSE HEAD PROP
Javier Carrasco (Selknam) – 19 caps
Salvador Lues (Selknam) – 11 caps

HOOKER
Augusto Bohme (Selknam) – 22 caps
Tomás Dussaillant (Selknam) – 37 caps
Diego Escobar (Selknam) – 5 caps

TIGHT HEAD PROP
Matías Dittus (Club Athlétique Périgueux, FR) – 21 caps
Iñaki Gurruchaga (Selknam) – 11 caps
Esteban Inostroza (Selknam) – 1 cap

SECOND-ROW
Javier Eissmann (Selknam) – 21 caps
Pablo Huete (Selknam) – 30 caps
Santiago Pedrero (Selknam) – 6 caps
Augusto Sarmiento  (Selknam) – 15 caps

BACK-ROW
Alfonso Escobar (Selknam) – 18 caps
Raimundo Martínez (Selknam) – 10 caps
Clemente Saavedra (Selknam) – 20 caps
Martín Sigren (Doncaster Knights, UK) – 27 caps
Ignacio Silva (Selknam) – 38 caps

SCRUM-HALF
Lukas Carvallo (Selknam) – 6 caps
Marcelo Torrealba (Selknam) – 12 caps
Benjamín Videla (Selknam) – uncapped

FLY HALF
Rodrigo Fernández (Selknam) – 23 caps
Santiago Videla (Selknam) – 25 caps

CENTER
Pablo Casas (Selknam) – 15 caps
Matías Garafulic (Selknam) – 12 caps
José Ignacio Larenas (Selknam) – 47 caps
Domingo Saavedra (Selknam) – 24 caps

WING
Franco Velarde (Selknam) – 16 caps
Nicolás Garafulic (Selknam) – 19 caps

FULLBACK
Iñaki Ayarza (Soyaux Angoulême XV Charente, FR) – 14 caps
Francisco Urroz (Selknam) – 11 caps

 

 

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023 – CHILEAN FIXTURES
September 10 vs (Toulouse, FR)

September 16 vs (Bordeaux, FR)

September 23 vs (Lille FR)

September 30 vs (Nantes, FR)