Amateur vs Pro – The Front Row

As the promise of professional rugby reaches North American shores for the first time, coinciding with the inaugural season of Super Rugby in Argentina, there’s no better time to take a look at how the Americas teams might benefit from becoming full time rugby players. While most Tier 1 nations have a number of full-time pros to choose from at each position, the Americas are not so lucky, often having no more than one or two, behind whom remain amateurs. Over the next five days we’ll look at the top four players at each position for the four World cup representatives of the Americas and compare their amateur or professional status.

Disclaimer:

These are not official depth charts, but attempt to replicate recent selection history as closely as possible. In virtually every case, an absent player who might currently be more appropriate shares the same status – pro or amateur – as the player included. Players included are those considered for the World Cup. In some cases those players have since retired from international rugby. Players are listed by their most recent club affiliation.

It’s important to note that some ‘amateur’ players in the Americas are not entirely unpaid. Some players receive a monthly stipend to supplement their income, particularly those on the World Sevens Series. A significant portion of those retain full-time jobs outside of their rugby commitment. While these players might not be truly ‘amateur’ in the strictest sense, for the purpose of this exercise those who are not full-time employees of a professional fifteen-a-side club or franchise will be considered so.

 

LOOSEHEAD PROP

As expected Argentina have a full compliment of players to choose from at loosehead. Juan Figallo is more comfortable on the tighthead side, but can play both sides and appeared as a loosehead in the World Cup. Santiago García Botta was playing professionally in France before signing with the UAR. Lucas Noguera Paz is the only one not to have previous full-time pro experience. Argentina also have other professionals overseas such as Nahuel Lobo (Carcassone), Bruno Postiglioni (Zebre), and Ignacio Saenz Lancuba (Jersey).

Canada essentially had no professional looseheads heading into the World Cup, though Hubert Buydens did spend two seasons with Manawatu in the ITM Cup. Djustice Sears-Duru signed a short term deal with Leicester after the World Cup but the contract has now expired and he is currently looking for a new club.

Uruguay’s contingent are all amateurs, while Eric Fry is the only professional specialist loosehead currently available to the Eagles.

ARG
Marcos Ayerza	Leicester Tigers (ENG)	PRO
Lucas Noguera Paz	Jaguares (ARG)	PRO
Juan Figallo	Saracens (ENG)	PRO
Santiago García Botta	Jaguares (ARG)	PRO
CAN
Hubert Buydens	Castaway Wanderers (CAN)	AMATEUR
Djustice Sears-Duru	Leicester Tigers (ENG)	AMATEUR
Tom Dolezel	London St. George’s (CAN)	AMATEUR
Peter Houlihan	Gungahlin Eagles (AUS)	AMATEUR
URU
Mateo Sanguinetti	Los Cuervos (URU)	AMATEUR
Alejo Corral	San Isidro Club (ARG)	AMATEUR
Rodolfo de Mula	Pucaru Stade Gaulois (URU)	AMATEUR
Juan Echeverriá	Old Christians (URU)	AMATEUR
USA
Eric Fry	Newcastle Falcons (ENG)	PRO
Olive Kilifi	Seattle Saracens (USA)	AMATEUR
Nick Wallace	Glendale Raptors (USA)	AMATEUR
Angus MacLellan	Davenport Panthers (USA)	AMATEUR

 

HOOKER

The Pumas aren’t quite as strong at hooker, but remain in a comfortable position. Neither Julián Montoya nor Santiago Iglesias Valdez have overseas experience, but have been on UAR contracts since January 2015. Their contracts only run until the end of this year but both are expected to be part of the Super Rugby franchise. Eusebio Guiñazú (ex-Munster), Martín García Veiga (Jersey), and Matías Cortese (ex-Toulon) were among other pros available, though both Guiñazú and Cortese have since returned to amateur rugby in Argentina.

Aaron Carpenter was Canada’s only pro option at hooker, and then he was a converted no8, an experiment he appears to have abandoned. Benoît Pifféro switched from Blagnac to Castanet in the off-season in Fédérale 1, but is only semi-pro as he maintains a job outside of rugby.

Once again Uruguay’s options are entirely amateur, while the United States has only Tom Coolican in the short NRC season currently playing pro. Phil Thiel had a short stint training with Saracens in England but did not make any match appearances with the senior side.

ARG
Agustín Creevy	Jaguares (ARG)	PRO
Julián Montoya	Jaguares (ARG)	PRO
Santiago Iglesias Valdez	Jaguares (ARG)	PRO
Facundo Bosch	CUBA (ARG)	AMATEUR
CAN
Ray Barkwill	Castaway Wanderers (CAN)	AMATEUR
Aaron Carpenter	Cornish Pirates (ENG)	PRO
Benoît Pifféro	Castanet (FRA)	AMATEUR
Owen Parfrey	Swilers (CAN)	AMATEUR
URU
Carlos Arboleya	Trébol Paysandú (URU)	AMATEUR
Nicolás Klappenbach	Champagnat (URU)	AMATEUR
Germán Kessler	Los Cuervos (URU)	AMATEUR
Arturo Ávalo	Carrasco Polo (URU)	AMATEUR
USA
Zach Fenoglio	Glendale Raptors (USA)	AMATEUR
Phil Thiel	Life University (USA)	AMATEUR
Joseph Taufete’e	Belmont Shore (USA)	AMATEUR
Tom Coolican	Sydney Stars (AUS)	PRO

 

TIGHTHEAD PROP

Argentina’s strongest position is unquestionably tighthead, with a number of full-time players to choose from. All three UAR-contracted players have previous overseas experience. The contract of Matías Díaz expires at the end of the year and his status for Super Rugby is in question as he battles heart problems. Juan Pablo Orlandi is in line to take his place should he be ruled out after leaving Newcastle in the off-season. Francisco Gomez Kodela (Bordeaux) remains another high level alternative, and there are others like Guillermo Roan (Zebre) and Gastón Cortes (Bristol) who are full-time pros.

Canada are in decent shape, though they were without injured Jason Marshall for the tournament. Andrew Tiedemann has just signed for Bourgoin in Pro D2 after leaving Plymouth Albion. Jake Ilnicki is currently amateur but was contracted to Easts in Sydney as well as NSW Country Eagles before being called in to replace Marshall. 19-year-old Matt Tierney is currently on an academy contract at Pau. Doug Wooldridge remains surprisingly fully amateur despite being first choice in the absence of Marshall.

Uruguay’s Mario Sagario has been a pro for five seasons and is now with Munster. Oscar Duran has limited semi-pro experience in France but has been amateur for a number of years.

With the unexpected retirement of Shawn Pittman (ex-London Welsh), the Eagles were left with youngster Titi Lamositele and semi-pro veteran Mate Moeakiola. The latter has reportedly hung up his boots following the tournament. Chris Baumann has signed some sort of contract for the Austin Blacks in Texas, though what exactly that entails is unclear.

ARG
Ramiro Herrera	Jaguares (ARG)	PRO
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro	Jaguares (ARG)	PRO
Matías Díaz	Jaguares (ARG)	PRO
Juan Pablo Orlandi	Newcastle Falcons (ENG)	PRO
CAN
Jason Marshall	Agen (FRA)	PRO
Doug Wooldridge	Lindsay (CAN)	AMATEUR
Andrew Tiedemann	Bourgoin (FRA)	PRO
Jake Ilnicki	Castaway Wanderers (CAN)	AMATEUR
URU
Mario Sagario	Munster (IRE)	PRO
Oscar Durán	Carrasco Polo (URU)	AMATEUR
Francisco Jiménez	Champagnat (URU)	AMATEUR
Lucas Scarnati	San Isidro Club (ARG)	AMATEUR
USA
Titi Lamositele	Saracens (ENG)	PRO
Chris Baumann	Austin Blacks (USA)	AMATEUR
Mate Moeakiola	Castanet (FRA)	AMATEUR
Ben Tarr	Glendale Raptors (USA)	AMATEUR

 

FRONT ROW SUMMARY

Argentina have strong depth in the front row with a plethora of full-time professional options at every position. With Carpenter returning to no8, Canada are left with only Marshall and Tiedemann on long-term contracts, though Sears-Duru should find a permanent home somewhere soon. Uruguay’s front row strength is entirely localised with the exception of Sagario at Munster, while the USA have only Fry and Lamositele based overseas.

 

Tomorrow we look at the top eight second rowers from each team.