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Super Rugby Americas 2024 features six teams from South America and the American Raptors from North America. The Colorado-based team is back for a second year. Super Rugby Americas 2023 saw the debutants have highs and lows before ultimately avoiding the wooden spoon in the final round.
As was the case in 2023, the roster for 2024 features a mixture of players from the USA and players from a range of other countries. Players are from Argentina, Uruguay, England, Scotland, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga.
The season is part of a new beginning for the Eagles. Qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2027 is the mot important goal for the USA. The Raptors are a part of seeing this happen. It is of the highest interest to World Rugby who will go out of their way to ensure that the USA indeed qualify; missing out on Rugby World Cup 2023 was not anticipated by the governing body who had already allocated Rugby World Cup 2031 hosting rights to the country.
Click here to access the complete 2024 American Raptors player roster.
Click here to access the Super Rugby Americas 2024 home page.
SEASON OPENER
The American Raptors will open Super Rugby Americas 2024 against Los Dogos. It will be an away match with Los Dogos hosting the Denver based side in Córdoba on February 16. The match will be the first of three consecutive games in South America. The Raptors will subsequently face Los Pampas in Buenos Aires and Peñarol in Montevideo. It is a highly demanding series of matches. The Raptors’ first home match will be against Os Cobras on March 17.
COACHING STAFF
The American Raptors are no longer coached by Sarah Chobot. The former USA Women’s Eagle was replaced by former Pumas Head Coach Marcelo Loffreda. However, Loffreda pulled-out which has seen Dave Butcher now taking over for Super Rugby Americas 2024. Butcher is from the UK. His playing position was prop. He learned his rugby at Middlesbrough Rugby Union Club. Butcher arrives from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where he had been a fulltime Head Coach since 2017.
RECRUITMENT
Former Scotland winger Rufus McLean will play for the American Raptors.The 23-year-old is US-born and could be Eagles-qualified in July of 2025. He is one of 16 new recruits. Gabe Mahu’inga and Jackson Zabierek have opted for the Raptors instead of MLR. Argentines Facundo Pomponio, Ignacio Mieres, and Francisco Quinn are now Raptors. Mieres is a former Pumas flyhalf while Pomponio earned SRA Team of the Season honors at tighthead prop and has played for the Argentina XV. USA Hawks loose forward Aidan Christians joins fellow USA u20 select Aki Pulu on the roster.
IMPORTS
Players come from Argentina, Uruguay, England, Scotland, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga. Diego Fortuny is a former Pumas hooker. Fly half Ignacio Mieres earned 6 caps during his time as a Puma. From the other side of the Rio de la Plata, veteran utility forward Diego Magno has 104 caps for Los Teros. Fullback Rufus McLean earned 3 caps for Scotland but will not play for them again. He may make the eligibility transfer to the USA in 2025. Meanwhile, Devereaux Ferris has 1 cap for the USA. Former MLR player Thomas Morani has his set on playing for the USA too.
POSSIBLE STARTING XV
1 Gabe Mahu’inga
2 Diego Fortuny
3 Facundo Pomponio
4 Will Crawford
5 Tavius Sykora-Matthess
6 Shawn Clark
7 Tommy Clark
8 Diego Magno
9 Devereaux Ferris
10 Ignacio Mieres
11 Ethyn Baker
12 Aki Pulu
13 Thomas Morani
14 Daytwon Sheridan
15 Rufus McLean
