Chile name team to face Paraguay

Chile have named their team to face Paraguay at the Old Grangonian Club in Chicureo on Saturday, kickoff set for 4pm local. Seven changes have been made to the side that suffered resounding defeat to Canada in the final round of the Americas Rugby Championship in March, while three players that were not included in the original squad of 23 for the match have been called up.

Claudio Zamorano returns to the front row in the absence of Ramón Ayarza, while Cristóbal Niedmann comes in for Nikola Bursic in the back row, with the latter set to begin his PRO Rugby journey with San Diego this weekend instead. Uni Católica’s Sebastián Parra replaces Rodrigo Moya as reserve hooker.

Youngster Rodrigo Fernandez will make his debut at flyhalf, having played in the junior version of the competition last year. Germán Herrera fills in for France-based Francisco de la Fuente in the midfield, and Pedro Verschae joins the group after playing in the Hong Kong 7s. Matías Contreras and Pablo Casas, who both were part of the ARC squad, earn starts at wing and fullback respectively.

Católica prop Hernán Amigo and Gustavo Carrasco of Old Boys join Parra among the forward reserves. Scrumhalf Beltrán Vergara is included after being left out of Wednesday’s squad, with recalled Francisco Gonzalez Moller and newcomer Jan Hasenlechner covering the rest of the backline.

CHILE
1 Claudio Zamorano 2 Manuel Gurruchaga 3 José Tomás Munita 4 Ignacio Álvarez 5 Raimundo Piwonka 6 Cristóbal Niedmann 7 Javier Richard 8 Benjamín Soto (capt.) 9 Juan Pablo Perrotta 10 Rodrigo Fernández 11 Matías Contreras 12 Germán Herrera 13 Matías Nordenflycht 14 Pedro Verschae 15 Pablo Casas

16 Sebastián Parra 17 Nicolás Venegas 18 Hernán Amigo 19 Francisco Hurtado 20 Gustavo Carrasco 21 Beltrán Vergara 22 Francisco Gonzalez Moller 23 Jan Hasenlechner