Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Former Head Coach of Argentina and current Head of Sudamérica Rugby High Performance, Daniel Hourcade has slammed Chilean rugby. Hourcade pulled no punches in declaring that “Chilean Rugby is Social, Without Any Commitment“.
The declaration came in an interview with Ignacio Chans in Referí. His crude analysis of Chilean rugby was part of an overall interview of all things involving South American rugby.
To read the complete interview click here.
Hourcade described Chilean Rugby as:
“being beyond amateur, and distinct to that of Uruguay. While Uruguay has amateur rugby that what is played in Chile is social. They don’t have any commitment. In this manner Uruguay is the same as Argentina, there is just a difference in terms of quality.”
“They live rugby, the clubs are life in this same manner. In Chile they have clubs, and structure but lack commitment. It is a rugby school in which the highest objective is to play for the school team, this comes above the test team.”
“In any event, it is the chosen path, but there are some who want something else, closer to this. It costs more. Social rugby something else; if one does not feel like it they won’t practice; if there is a trip to be had they do not take the test side which in Argentina or Uruguay would be madness.”
“It is not that it is a disaster but it is going to take longer to channel it. In Chile they are highly enthusiastic with the franchises. Structural changes need to be made, it is ambitious but achievable.”
The point of view of Hourcade is not isolated. He has previously noted that Chilean Rugby is different to that of other regional members. In December he noted on XV podcast that while Colombia interacts with Sudamérica Rugby to receive feedback, Chile (and Paraguay) simply approach them to ask for money.”
