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Following Chile’s inaugural appearance at a Rugby World Cup, attention now turns to seeing if Los Cóndores can do it again. For serious rugby supporters this means paying attention to Selknam in Super Rugby Americas. The Chilean professional team was responsible for 30 of the 33 players on the roster for France 2023.
Chile’s fighting spirit at the World Cup won over neutral supporters. It also attracted the attention of professional clubs. Rodrigo Fernández and Vittorio Lastra now play their rugby in Italy. Captain Martín Sigren have moved from England the Major League Rugby (MLR). The MLR will also be home to Domingo Saavedra, Augusto Bohme, and Santiago Videla. Hooker Diego Escobar will join French powerhouses Racing 92 next season.
The departure of players has provided opportunities for new players. Selknam, though, has seasoned veterans in the team. One example is Clemente Saavedra who has been named captain for Super Rugby Americas 2024.
Click here to access the complete 2023 Selknam player roster.
Click here to access the Super Rugby Americas (SRA) home page.
SEASON OPENER
With Super Rugby Americas 2024 containing seven teams there is not room for all to compete every round. Selknam will have a bye in round one. The Chilean franchise will open their season on the road in round two. It will be against Yacare in Asunción, Paraguay on February 24. The team will remain for their second match which will be against Os Cobras in Brazil. Selknam’s first home match of the season will be on March 09 against reigning champions Peñarol.
COACHING STAFF
Changes at Selknam see Nicolás Bruzzone no longer in charge. For Super Rugby Americas 2024 the Chilean franchise will be coached by Jacob Mangin. The New Zealander arrives with lengthily experience with the CBRu (Brazil Rugby) from 2013-2020 where he was in charge of the Sevens team in 2016. Mangin’s appointment is career motivated based on his coaching background. He has coached the Brazil XV and Brazil u20. He was also an assistant coach for the Crusaders Juniors and the Canterbury u19 in 2021-2022.
RECRUITMENT
World Cup props Javier Carrasco, Iñaki Gurruchaga, Esteban Inostroza, Salvador Lues are all on Selknam’s roster as are hookers Tomás Dussaillant, and Diego Escobar. This is sure to provide a solid platform up front. Second-rowers Javier Eissmann, Santiago Pedrero and Augusto Sarmiento also all played at the World Cup. Captain Saavedra played both second-row at the tournament. Additional World Cup back-rowers on Selknam’s 2024 roster are Raimundo Martínez, and Alfonso Escobar.
Scrum-half Marcelo Torrealba and utility back Benjamín Videla were part of Chile’s creative players at the World Cup. Center Matías Garafulic is also on the 2024 Selknam roster as are wingers Cristóbal Game, José Ignacio Larenas and Franco Velarde. The veteran Larenas made history at the World Cup by becoming the first Chilean to 50 test caps.
IMPORTS
Selknam’s 2023 roster was 100% local. This was a strategic move intended on giving more players game-time. While the team did not have as good of a season as in 2022, the move certainly aided the test team for the World Cup.
The Chilean franchise has recruited four Argentines for the new season. Scrum-half Rafael Iriarte has joined Selknam. Iriarte is a former SLAR champions with Los Jaguares. He played for Los Pampas in 2023 as did winger Iñaki Delguy who joins him now in Santiago. Second-rower Federico Albrisi makes the move from Los Dogos. He is the one forward recruited to Chile from Argentina. The fourth name is a player returning to Super Rugby Americas. Fly half Nicolás Róger helped Peñarol defeat Selknam in the SLAR 2022 Final. He is back in Super Rugby Americas after having played in Italy for CUS Torino.
POSSIBLE STARTING XV
1 Salvador Lues
2 Diego Escobar
3 Iñaki Gurruchaga
4 Javier Eissmann
5 Augusto Sarmiento
6 Raimundo Martínez
7 Clemente Saavedra (capt.)
8 Alfonso Escobar
9 Marcelo Torrealba
10 Nicolás Roger
11 Iñaki Delguy
12 Matías Garafulic
13 Franco Velarde
14 Nicolás Garafulic
15 Luca Strabucchi
