July 2024 will feature a blockbuster month of international rugby in South America. In what is indisputably the biggest ever international window for the region, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay will play against visiting teams from other continents. Rugby World Cup 2023 Semi Finalists, Los Pumas will play host …
Read More »How Many World Cup 2027 Slots for the Americas?
Rugby World Cup 2027 will be expanded from 20 to 24 teams. The qualifiers will continue to be structured around World Rugby’s use of continental regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Americas. This raises the question of how many slots will the Americas be granted for Rugby World Cup …
Read More »Rugby World Cup 2027 and the Americas
Expansion from 20 to 24 teams for the Men’s Rugby World Cup will mean changes in qualifying. How the four new spots will be allocated remains unconfirmed. What is factual rather than speculative is that the Americas and Europe are the two most productive of World Rugby’s defined regions. Identifying …
Read More »Esteban Meneses, Uruguay and the Silver era
Esteban Meneses helped take Uruguay to the next level. Under Meneses, Uruguay enjoyed a rise in performances which brought on-field results and off-field recognition. The Argentine steps down after being Head Coach of Los Teros since December 2015. Los Teros reached new heights under Meneses. Uruguay overtook both Canada and …
Read More »Remembering Lunk: A Canadian Classic
In my years of working as a rugby writer I have had occasion to write a fair few obituaries about players that have passed away – many still in their prime. I have met many of them and covered their careers, and generally it is a sad tome written about …
Read More »South America says No to Pacific Nations Cup
Canada and the USA will return to the Pacific Nations Cup in 2024. South America will not be involved. World Rugby sought an Americas-Pacific competition wherein Chile and Uruguay would feature alongside Canada, the USA, Japan, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. South America declined. Chile is a Pacific country Uruguay is …
Read More »Talks Underway for Spain and Portugal to Co-Host Rugby World Cup 2035
Portugal and Spain have begun discussions over a joint bit to host Rugby World Cup 2035. The tournament will follow Rugby World Cup 2031 in the USA and Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. Rugby World Cup 2035 falls twelve years after Portugal’s second World Cup appearance. Portugal impressed many …
Read More »How Tier 2 Can Have the Opportunity to Play Against Tier 1
One of the lessons of Rugby World Cup 2023 was given by Pablo Lemoine. Following Chile’s 71-0 defeat against England the Uruguayan hit out at World Rugby’s handling of Tier 2. Lemoine described how hard it was playing a vastly superior team. Chile went from playing Brazil in qualifiers in …
Read More »Pablo Lemoine Hits Out at World Rugby’s Handling of Tier 2
Following Chile’s loss to England at the World Cup, Los Cóndores Head Coach hit out at World Rugby. In his post match interview, Lemoine complained about how the sport is being run by World Rugby to ESPN Argentina (in Spanish). “The early minutes of play were good, but after we …
Read More »Argentina – 5 Players to Watch at Rugby World Cup 2023
There is high expectation for Argentina at Rugby World Cup 2023. Los Pumas are the highest ranked of the five Pool D teams. Since the previous Rugby World Cup the South Americans have made history by defeating New Zealand for the first time and repeating it by winning against the …
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