Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Germán Kessler has secured his playing future in France. The Uruguayan hooker has signed a two-year-deal with Rouen Normandie Rugby. The team was relegated from the Pro D2 to the Nationale this season.
Kessler has scored 13 tries in the Pro D2. He has played in 83 matches in the league with 40 of them being in starting line-ups. He played in the Pro d2 in the recently completed season. He did so for Montauban, doing so after making a mid-season transfer from Charente Angoulême XV as a medical joker.
Kessler joined Charente Angoulême XV in October from another French second division side, Provence. It marked a return to Charente whom he played for for two seasons. Prior to that, Kessler played Major League Rugby (MLR) for the Utah Warriors. His Pro D2 record is 13 tries from 78 appearances.
Kessler is is well known to rugby purists for his competitiveness in the scrum and as a ball-carrying hooker. He has represented Uruguay in three Rugby World Cups, doing so in England and Wales in 2015, in Japan in 2019 and in France in 2023. He was a part of Uruguay’s wins over Fiji in Kamaishi and Namibia in Lyon.
The move to Montauban comes at the age of 29. Of note is that based on his age he may become the first Uruguayan to play in four Rugby World Cups. He has 65 test caps to his name and may add more in July with Uruguay facing France, Argentina and Scotland in home test matches. Kessler made his test debut against Paraguay in 2015.
