Up and Under

Up and Under is a weekly exclusive on Americas Rugby News which reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week.

 

UP

Jamaica Men’s Sevens, Mexico Women’s Sevens
On Sunday both the Jamaica Men and Mexico Women qualified for the Pan American Games. They sealed their spots at Lima 2019 by virtue of winning the Rugby Americas North Sevens in Barbados. Both countries also sealed their spots in the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens. Mexico qualified by defeating Trinidad & Tobago 15-0 in the Women’s Cup Final. Jamaica overcame Guyana 22-17 to win the Cup Final.

Major League Rugby
On Friday Major League Rugby confirmed that franchises in Boston and Atlanta will begin regular season play in 2020. The Boston franchise will be known as the New England Free Jacks and Americas Rugby News can reveal that the team will play an exhibition fixture in Eastern Canada next month. Atlanta remains largely a mystery at this point. The Ontario Arrows are widely expected to join in 2019.

Canadian Women’s November Tour
Canada’s Senior Women’s side have completed their itinerary for their November tour to the UK. A test match against Wales on Saturday, November 24, gives them four matches – including three tests – in a span of just ten days. While the time frame is challenging the tour itself is very much welcome news for Canada and for Women’s rugby. Canada will face England, Scotland, and Wales in tests as well as playing a match against England ‘A’.

Ramiro Herrera
From Paris to Buenos Aires to Pau and back to Buenos Aires. This was Ramiro Herrera’s week. He trained with Los Pumas last week before flying back to France to play on Sunday. He was a part of a wining effort on the road. Now he is five days away from playing in the Rugby Championship. He joins with Argentina already having confirmed the 2018 tournament as their most successful in history. Meanwhile his club, Stade Français, are second in the Top 14.

Marcel Brache
In Australia Marcelo Brache ran-in a double. He helped the Western Force record a narrow and thrilling victory over Queensland Country. The result was the first loss of the season for the Queensland Country while for Brache it was a continuation of his impressive form. His involvement in the November Internationals is a forgone conclusion.

David Ainu’u
History was made on Sunday in France. 18-year-old Junior All-American prop David Ainu’u made his Top 14 debut for Toulouse. It finished off a great week for the Olympia, Washington native. He extended his contract with the club until the end of the 2020-2021 season and has officially been elevated from the academy to the senior roster.

Joe Taufete’e
Another USA front-rower featured prominently this weekend. In the English Premiership on Saturday the Worcester Warriors completed a 44-37 win over the Leicester Tigers. Joe Taufete’e was a 63rd minute replacement and helped the team claw back to claim victory. The win was the first of the season for the Warriors and moves the club up into 9th position.

 

UNDER

Julianne Zussman
An extended squad of 41 players was named by Canada Senior Women’s coach Sandro Fiorino for a four-match tour in November. It comes after a long break with Canada only playing three matches since the 2017 World Cup, all against England in November of last year. Missing is star fullback Julianne Zussman who has confirmed her retirement. Canada’s loss is the referee society’s gain as Zussman has opted join World Cup teammate Latoya Blackwood on the road to becoming a high performance match official.

Ramiro Moyano
Ruled out of facing New Zealand is Ramiro Moyano. The in-form winger suffered a fractured rib in the win over Australia on the Gold Coast. He has formed the back-three with Emiliano Boffelli and Bautista Delguy in all Rugby Championship matches this year. Change will now be required with roster members Sebastián Cancelliere, and Juan Cruz Mallía fighting for Moyano’s spot.

Argentina’s Loosehead Props
Los Jaguares’ starting loosehead throughout Super Rugby this year was Santiago Garía Botta. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro was Tight Head yet is now playing Loose Head. Why does Ledesma not replicate his selection regarding Tight Head props? He has, indeed, selected Juan Figallo, Gastón Cortés and Ramiro Herrera from Europe. What is stopping him picking a Loose Head? Realistically the options are thin.

Leonardo Senatore
Out of favor under Ledesma throughout 2018 has been Senatore. He went from starting No8 to merely part of the extended training squad. Javier Ortega Desio has now undergone a successful conversion from flanker to No8. Ledesma had Senatore in his 37-man roster last week but released him, including veteran Juan Manuel Leguizamón on the shorter roster to face New Zealand. Leguizamón is rumored to be retiring following the conclusion of the November test series.

Agen
Mauricio Reggiardo will not be coaching Agen next season. The former Argentine Tight Head will be taking over at Castres. Meanwhile Agen faces an uphill fight to remain in the Top 14. The team has been abysmal on the road thus far in the 2018-19 season. On Saturday it saw a 33-3 loss against Toulon. Reggiardo’s team is currently 12th with 8 competition points.

Sale Sharks
An out-of-sorts Sale Sharks find themselves bottom of the English Premiership. The club was well beaten this weekend, falling 31-13 to the Wasps in what was a home match. AJ MacGinty’s team has one win and three losses thus far in the 2018-19 season. Despite the rough start MacGinty, to his credit, remains one of the team’s top performers.