Up and Under

Up and Under is an Americas Rugby News exclusive. It identifies the best and the tops and the flops involving the Americas during the course of the past seven days. This week’s edition comes following the opening round of Major League Rugby (MLR) 2024. Rugby fans were overrun with choices in the Americas as Super Rugby Americas and the Los Angeles Sevens also took place.

 

UP

USA Win Bronze at Home in Los Angeles Sevens
New Zealand are the 2024 Women’s champions of the Los Angeles Sevens. Michaela Blyde’s scored a hat-trick as New Zealand overcame Australia 29-14 for Gold in the Final. The Bronze Final was all North American with he USA defeating Canada 21-7. The Bronze Final saw the speed of Naya Tapper and Steph Rovetti as well as a penalty try combining for the USA’s 21-7 win. Canada’s try was scored by Krissy Scurfield.

Six Countries Confirmed for South American u18’s
The purpose of the competition is to help improve the level of players and teams from an early age. U18 teams will take to the field representing Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Matches will take place at Río Segundo, Córdoba from March 11-17.

Golden Finish from NOLA Over DC
NOLA recovered from a sluggish start to score 18 unanswered points and take an 18-6 victory over DC on Saturday afternoon. Old Glory looked in control early but the momentum swung towards the Gold just after halftime and they pulled away in the final quarter.

Houston outmuscle Utah
The SaberCats showed their teeth in a muscular performance to start the season with a 22-15 win over the Warriors on Saturday night. Houston’s forwards proved the difference as they got the better of the set piece and dominated the contact area. Utah fought back late to salvage a bonus point.

Selknam do enough against Cobras in game of Two-Halves
Selknam claimed their first win of Super Rugby Americas 2024 on season. The Chilean franchise did enough to overcame Os Cobras in what was a game of two halves. Selknam were 24-3 up well before half-time in a contest they won by 30-20.

Dogos and Yacare Put on a Super Rugby Americas Thriller
Los Dogos are in pole position of Super Rugby Americas. After three rounds of play the side from Córdoba, Argentina is undefeated and has claimed three bonus point wins. Yacare has been playing some impressive rugby but not has a 1-2 season record.

Franco Molina Gets Pumas Call-Up
The new era begins for Argentina in March. The new Head Coach of Los Pumas, Felipe Contepomi will assemble a roster in London, England. The three day camp will feature 31 players. Most, but not all, of the players featured at Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. 30 of the 31 play their rugby in Europe. The one who does not is the uncapped Franco Molina, the captain of Los Dogos.

Six Pumas Earn Recalls
Veteran loose head prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro missed the World Cup through injury as did flanker Santiago Grondona. They are back while tight head prop Lucio Sordoni is included as is fly half Tomás Albornoz and wingers Santiago Cordero and Bautista Delguy. Like Tetaz Chaparro and Grondona, Cordero continues his recovery from injury.

Canada to take on two World Cup 2023 teams in July
Ottawa will play host to two test matches in July. Canada will face Scotland and Romania. Canada and Scotland will compete for the Douglas Horn Cup. The teams last faced-off in 2018 in Edmonton. The July 12 match against Romania is overdue; the teams last played a test match against each other in 2017. A 14-man Romania won that fixture 25-9 in Edmonton. Romania won 21-16 the previous year in Bucharest.

Argentina’s former Super Rugby franchise is close to returning
The Melbourne Rebels are one of five Australian teams in Super Rugby Pacific. However, grave doubt of the survival of the Melbourne Rebels has accelerated negotiations for Argentina to rejoin Super Rugby Pacific. A debt of AU$20 needs to be paid for the Rebels to survive. Indications strongly point to Los Jaguares returning in 2025. Some will likely come home from abroad, though very few compared to that for the inaugural season in 2016.

Juan Cruz Mallía a Pumas Fly Half Option?
Some players are specialists in one position. Others can move between two. Few cane do more than that. Juan Cruz Mallía has proven that he can. The Puma has been playing fly half for French giants Toulouse and doing so with distinction. He scored a double this past weekend and a try one week earlier. He is the starting fullback for Argentina and has played wing and in both center positions.

 

UNDER

Americas Men Plummet at Los Angeles Sevens
There was no joy for the Americas Men’s team at Los Angeles. Argentina were well-placed after the pool stage but fell to Ireland in their Quarter Final. Argentina downed Fiji to claim 5th spot. Canada’s loss against South Africa meant the North Americans finished dead last. Meanwhile, the home country, the USA, finished the tournament in 8th spot. The Eagles fell 24-14 to Australia in the 7th Place Final.

Mishmash Pacific Nations Cup
The 2024 Pacific Nations Cup tournament sees Canada and the USA joining PNC regulars Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Japan for the first time since 2019. This year’s format will see two pools of three, with Japan grouped in with the North Americans. The mishmash will prevent the possibility of matches between all participants. Moreover, Canada and the USA get just one home match each.

Powerful Missing Pumas XV
Franco Molina made the roster at the expense of Lucas Paulos. Other notable missing names are Martín Bogado, Santiago Medrano, Pablo Matera, Nicolás Sánchez and Tomás Cubelli. The reason is where they play. Meanwhile, veterans Juan Imhoff, Agustín Creevy and Francisco Gómez Kodela were not selected nor were 7’s players Rodrigo Isgró and Luciano González or other notable names such as Ignacio Mendy, Gonzalo García, Gerónimo Prisciantelli, Bautista Bernasconi, Domingo Miotti and Matías Orlando.

Free Jacks spoil Anthem debut
Reece MacDonald scored three tries as the defending champion New England Free Jacks scored a dominant 46-13 win the competitive debut for Anthem Carolina. The Major League Rugby newcomers earned the applause of the home crowd with two highlight-reel tries late in the second half.

Miami Sharks Beaten by Two Penalty Tries on MLR Debut
The Miami Sharks made a game of it but couldn’t quite get the win they wanted in their home debut. Instead it was the visiting Chicago Hounds who did just enough to win the arm wrestle with their forwards getting the edge in the rain in front of 4,500 fans at AutoNation Field on Sunday. The Chicago Hounds’ tries both came in the first half and both were penalty tries.

Last Minute Loss for San Diego Legion
A try from Tavite Lopeti with just a minute left on the clock gave the Seawolves a 25-19 win over the Legion at Starfire Stadium on Saturday night. Played in damp and icy cold conditions, it was a back-and-forth affair largely dominated by kicking that very nearly went San Diego’s way despite the visitors playing 30 minutes with 14 men on the pitch.

Winless Raptors Punished in Charrúa
A much-improved Peñarol completed a home bonus point win over the American Raptors on Friday. The 37-7 result gets the team back on track after falling to Os Cobras in Jacareí, Brazil in their prior fixture this season. The American Raptors’ are winless after three matches in South America thus far in Super Rugby Americas 2024.

Concerns over Hooker Endy Willian Pinheiro
Endy  Willian Pinheiro has led the way for Os Cobras this season. The hooker from Southern Brazil has three tries to his name. His workrate has been impressive as has his service at the lineout and in the scrum. He was forced off earlier than desired on Saturday. He collided with the rampaging Clemente Saavedra and came off second best.

Jerónimo de la Fuente Sidelined
The Rosario center was injured playing for Perpignan against Toulon this past weekend. The injury was to his femoral biceps. The severity of means that the Puma is now facing four to five weeks on the sidelines. He is set to miss Perpignan’s Top 14 upcoming matches against Toulouse, Oyonnax and Castres. de la Fuente was named on Felipe Contepomi’s roster for the upcoming three day camp in London.

Domingo Miotti is Missing but Impressing
The fly half from Tucumán is in excellent form this season for Oyonnax. The decision to move from the Glasgow Warriors to Oyonnax has seen Miotti making the 10 shirt his own. The team, though is struggling and facing relegation. With a mysterious non-selection by Contepomi, Miotti can put all efforts in to Oyonnax’s mission to avoid relegation. He has 120 points this season and scored 15 points against Montpellier this past weekend.