Just days following the opening of new training facilities in Chile a High Performance program is off the ground in Paraguay. December 27 marks the official launch of Paraguay’s High Performance Rugby system in Asunción.
Termed the PROGRAMA DE ALTO RENDIMENTO U.R.P – S.N.D. the program has as its objective the production of elite athletes to represent Paraguay in international rugby duty in 2019.
The P.A.R (Paraguayan High Performance Program) will start in the second half of January 2019 and will be under the command of Raúl Pérez, the current Head Coach of Paraguay’s Men’s test side.
It should be noted that Pérez began the same process in his native Argentina. It culminated in Los Jaguares, Argentina’s Super Rugby franchise and the first professional rugby team in the Americas.
Paraguay’s program is to include university scholarships, gym, on-field stimuli, medical assistance, travel expenses, foreign travel insurance, physiotherapy, and all of that which is required for High Performance.
In the initial phase 50 athletes are to enter the program in three categories both for Men’s and Women’s rugby:
- Full Scholarship
- Half Scholarship
- Invitational Scholarship
The P.A.R. is a project made possible due to a collaboration between there Unión de Rugby del Paraguay (U.R.P), the National Sports Secretary, the Paraguayan Olympic Committee and the Universidad de San Carlos.