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Uruguayan scrumhalf Santiago Arata will join the Houston SaberCats for the 2019 Major League Rugby season. Reported by South American press for several weeks, the 22-year-old Teros star joins three of his international teammates in signing MLR deals – Andrés Vilaseca, Ignacio Dotti, and Juan Echeverría the others. Another nine will be on show at a World Rugby-sponsored combine at Infinity Park starting today.
Arata emerged as a top prospect from the Teritos age-grade program, graduating to senior honors while still a 19-year-old during the 2016 Americas Rugby Championship. He has now made 30 appearances for Los Teros and most recently was seen in the Americas Pacific Challenge hosted in Montevideo.
Despite his small stature Arata is known as a very aggressive player both on attack and defense. His acceleration and eye for the gap makes him a deadly attacker around the fringes where he can often be seen breaking the line. Arata’s outstanding form has seen him challenge France-based professional Agustín Ormaechea for the starting No9 jersey.
The SaberCats have already confirmed the arrivals of loose forwards Ayron Schramm and Mathew Faoagali in recent days, as well as the re-signings of Chris Coyle, Cecil Garber, Conor Mills, and Malacchi Esdale. Returning halfback Connor Murphy will be Arata’s competition for the starting role in Houston.
