Claudio Zamorano will captain Chile against Brazil in the opening match of the 2017 Americas Rugby Championship on Friday. The 28-year-old loosehead prop will lead his country for the first time having won 15 caps since his debut as a replacement against Paraguay in 2010. A converted loose forward, Zamorano …
Read More »Changes Announced in Uruguay
Changes have been announced in Uruguay, reports Ignacio Chans. Alterations from the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay (URU) concern the format and fixtures of the Campeonato Uruguayo (Uruguayan Championship), which is to get underway on March 11. It is to immediately follow the final round of the Americas Rugby Championship. Among …
Read More »Parisse to Captain Italy against Wales
Sergio Parisse is to Captain Italy against Wales. The Argentine born and raised player will play in his regular position of No 8. Head Coach Conor O’Shea has named thirteen Italian-based players in the starting lineup. In playing Parisse will earn his 122 test cap. It is three more than the …
Read More »2016 ARN Club Player of the Year
Americas players have long been forced to balance their professional club careers with international availability, with test rugby often coming second in terms of priority, at least outside of the World Cup. Things have been further complicated with the UAR’s new policy of excluding European-based professionals from Pumas selection. There …
Read More »2017 ARC Preview – Canada
Canada’s thirst for more high level fixtures was quenched in 2016 with the addition of the Americas Rugby Championship proving a major step in the development of top amateur talent. While not quite top flight competition, the games gave the best of Canada’s domestic players a chance to test themselves …
Read More »Team of the Week
Our last weekend focused on domestic rugby until the end of March was an interesting one. With no Premiership or Pro 12 we were given the two French divisions and the Anglo-Welsh cup to pine over, with no players coming from the Championship. Thankfully there were plenty of decent performances …
Read More »2017 ARC Preview – Chile
Like Brazil, the Chileans have benefited greatly from the re-development of the Americas Rugby Championship. Their 2016 total of 11 tests is almost three times as many as the four they played in 2015, and the first time they’ve had more than seven in a calendar year since 2005. While …
Read More »2016 ARN Breakthrough Player of the Year
The Breakthrough Player of the Year is somewhat of a loosely defined category. It doesn’t necessitate that a player has achieved international stardom, nor does it require a player to necessarily have achieved international recognition at all. Any player who has demonstrated a significant rise in their standards over the …
Read More »2017 ARC Preview – Brazil
The introduction of the Americas Rugby Championship has given Brazil a major boost not just in terms of competition standards but perhaps more importantly in sheer volume of test matches. Previously they would go no higher than six tests in a calendar year – in 2016 they had a record …
Read More »Chile names squad for Brazil match
Chile have announced a list of 27 players to travel to Sao Paulo for the opening match of the 2017 Americas Rugby Championship on Friday. In doing so they have also revealed their probable starting lineup for the game with a couple surprises. Veteran COBS flyhalf Francisco Cruz looks set …
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