Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Can we get through a full weekend of fixtures without controversy or cancellation? Most are ready for a weekend of uninterrupted entertainment and certainly fans of the Greene King IPA Championship would love to get through all six of the games on tap this weekend.
Bristol are now 14 points ahead of the pack and a win over 5th-place Yorkshire Carnegie on Friday would all but put a wrap on promotion to the Premiership. They’ll run out nine internationals to get the job done including Argentine tighthead prop Gastón Cortes. Former UBC Thunderbirds flanker Sam Jeffries is named among the reserves. Thretton Palamo remains sidelined and it’s looking increasingly likely that he had played his last game with the club with his contract set to expire at season’s end.
Second-place Ealing have a game at hand on Bristol after the postponement of last weekend’s match, but must still take a bonus-point win over Nottingham on Saturday to have any hope of staying in reach. Shane O’Leary had an extra week to sharpen his kicking skills and will start at flyhalf for the Trailfinders.
Ronnie McLean starts for Richmond against visiting Hartpury, and three Americas players are tabbed to take part at Goldington Road. Will Hooley starts at flyhalf with Justin Blanchet on the bench for Bedford Blues. Hooley’s new USA teammate Nick Civetta is named as a reserve for Doncaster.
Sunday will feature the most interesting match for Americas fans. Brett Beukeboom, Matt Evans, and Nicolás de Battista all start for Cornish Pirates at lock, wing, and center respectively. Beukeboom will be going head-to-head at the lineout with a very familiar face – Canada teammate Kyle Baillie – who lines up in the second row for London Scottish. Eagles prop Dino Waldren is the reserve tighthead.
