Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The landlocked South American country of Bolivia is unique in being the only Spanish speaking country in the continent to not be a CONSUR member. This reality, however, is not likely to remain for much longer as moves are well underway to have Bolivia feature in international competition.
Authorities are working hard in Bolivia to have the country field a team in the 2018 Juegos Odesur. The event is an important part of South American sport and Bolivia’s involvement would be significant for the increasing profile or rugby as a serious sport throughout the continent.
Over two days last October a commission led by Maria Gabriela Rivera evaluated thirty athletes at the Estadio Capriles. The players came from a number of different Bolivian rugby clubs and the commission was looking to identify twenty to form a Bolivian test team.
The effort is very much transnational. Involved were Argentina’s Santiago Guzmán and Clemente Avellaneda who confirmed that Bolivia is being offered an opportunity to participate in an international competition in Chile.
The creation of an international Bolivian team means that CONSUR and NACRA are now covering countries throughout all of the Americas. It is an indication of the growth that has been enabled following the rise of Argentina over the previous decades.
