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The reigning Super Rugby Americas champions are presently being hit by a player exodus. Uruguay’s Peñarol has seen half a dozen players confirm their playing future abroad for 2024 and others may well join them.
Major League Rugby (MLR) newcomers the Miami Sharks have gone for Latino favor. Among their early recruitments are the Uruguayan trio of Manuel Ardao, Felipe Etcheverry, and Tomás Inciarte. Ardao and Etcheverry were both Peñarol captain’s with the former being the regular in 2023. Inciarte also held down a starting spot and the trio were first-choice for Uruguay at the World Cup.
Two further World Cup Teros are on their way to the MLR. First, Ignacio Dotti will be returning to the USA. Having previously played for NOLA Gold from 2019-2022, Dotti will join play for Old Glory DC alongside Uruguayan hooker Facundo Gattas. Dotti started in the Super Rugby Americas 2023 Final win over Los Dogos.
Dotti locked the scrum in the final alongside Felipe Aliaga. The two players competed to join Manuel Leindekar in Uruguay’s second-row at the World Cup. Aliaga was the preferred player to join the Top 14 second-rower.
Peñarol’s 2024 second-row will be new-look. Dotti and Aliaga are MLR-bound. Uruguayan Rugby Expert notes that Ignacio Chans Aliaga is finalizing a deal with Rugby New York.
Italy is now the home to Diego Arbelo. The tight head prop joined Colorno following the World Cup. Arbelo was an important player in the World Cup. However it was Ignacio Péculo who was the first-choice player. Arbelo, Péculo and Reinaldo Piussi were all on the roster.
Player movement in past seasons has also taken place. The loss of captain Andrés Vilaseca and vice captain Nicolás Freitas meant adjustments. It was a victory for Uruguay as more players had opportunities.
This time around there is a larger quantity leaving Peñarol. Is this reason for concern? On the surface yes but in reality no. Peñarol’s 2022 campaign saw notable names featuring for Los Teros 7’s on the Sevens World Circuit. With World Rugby having reduced the number of core teams Uruguay will not have the same commitment for 2024.
Uruguay’s roster for Rugby World Cup 2023 contained four players who featured for Uruguay 7’s rather than Peñarol in 2023. They were center Felipe Arcos Pérez, wingers Bautista Basso, and Ignacio Facciolo and fullback Baltazar Amaya. Basso and Amaya were first-choice players at the World Cup.
The 33-man roster was finalized weeks before the World Cup. Meanwhile, a long-list was named in late June. This extended roster contained even more Uruguayan 7’s players; more players not involved in Peñarol’s Super Rugby Americas 2023 title.
In addition to the four aforementioned were centers Koba Brazionis, Diego Ardao, winger Mateo Viñals and fullback Ignacio Álvarez. In other words, there are eight players from the 2023 Los Teros 7’s roster who are primed for Super Rugby Americas 2023.
In the case of the second-row, the Uruguayan player exodus will mean more opportunities for others. Agustín Morales and Juan Manuel Rodríguez featured in 2023 with the later going to the World Cup. Flanker Eric Dosantos played out of position in 2022 and 2023. If a shortfall is identified then recruitment from Argentina will fill the void. Similar to former Peñarol player Nahuel Milan.
