The New Orleans Gold have moved to shore up their second row by signing Uruguay’s Ignacio Dotti. A veteran of nearly 40 caps since his debut in 2015, the 24-year-old is the latest of an influx of Uruguayan players set to ply their trade in Major League Rugby. Dotti joins the team from the Los Cuervos club.
Known for his strong lineout presence and also his carrying in the loose, the 1.96m (6’5″) forward has established himself as one of the best locks in South American rugby and has started all nine games for Los Teros in 2018. He was part of the Uruguay side that finished third in the Americas Pacific Challenge last week in Montevideo.
Dotti is the third South American forward to find a home in New Orleans. Chilean exports Nikola Bursic and Sebastián Kalm played for the team in 2018. With a number of South Americans set to participate in an MLR combine next week that number could rise for the 2019 season.