Canada

The old and new of the Americas at Toulon will be in action this weekend as the European Champions face-off against last season’s Aviva Premiership Finalists Bath. Both Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe and Samu Manoa will start in the Toulon pack and hope to see the team off to a …

Lucas Martínez will get his first start for Castres on Saturday against Pau in the first round of the European Challenge Cup. The stocky Argentine tighthead has appeared as a reserve in three games for Olympique in the Top 14 so far. Martínez was part of the Pampas squad during …

In what is surely a first in professional rugby, two Canadian internationals will captain their clubs against each other in the first round of the British & Irish Cup this Saturday at Mennaye Field in Penzance. Richard Thorpe runs out for the first time since the World Cup to lead …

The governing body of rugby, World Rugby has unveiled an altered qualification process for Rugby World Cup 2019 which will be held in Japan. Revealed are where the 8 qualifying countries will come from with some continental regions having advantages over others. The 8 qualifying teams will join the 12 …

Italian international prop Matías Agüero is to become the third Argentine at the Leicester Tigers. The 34-year-old has signed until the end of the season for the Aviva Premiership side to replace Azzurri teammate Michele Rizzo, out for the season with a serious knee injury. Now into the twilight of his career, …

We’re one week post-World Cup but that doesn’t mean the rugby stops! It’s not easy to sift through all the pro rugby on offer every week, but we’ll do our best. Here’s our first shot at a form XV for those kicking around the European leagues this past weekend. 1 – …

Canadian winger Taylor Paris has been short-listed as one of three finalists for the Player of the Season award in France’s Pro D2. The winner will be announced at the Nuit du Rugby on November 23 which will recognize 0utstanding achievement for players, coaches, clubs and officials. Playing for Agen …

Rugby Canada held a semi-annual planning meeting with the provincial unions this past weekend in Halifax. While there has not been any earth-shattering news, here are a few tidbits from there and elsewhere around the Canadian rugby-verse. NO PRO RUGBY FOR CANADA Left out of yesterday’s announcement that Pro Rugby …

Both Argentina and the USA are set to be significant benefactors from World Rugby’s announcement that the institution’s governance is to be overhauled. Argentina and Italy are to join the remaining Tier 1 unions of Australia, England, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and Wales in acquiring two votes …

Professional Rugby Organization (PRO Rugby) North America officially announced this morning that their competition will launch in the Spring of 2016. Officially sanctioned by USA Rugby and World Rugby, the competition will launch with six teams. The season is set to kick off in April and run through July with each team …