France

Teammates from opposite sides of the Rio de la Plata were outstanding performers for Castres on Friday. The small-town Top 14 side upset reigning champions Toulouse to advance to the 2022 Top 14 Final. Castres were 24-18 winners in the Semi Final in Nice. The French city will play host …

Former Junior All-American lock Nafi Ma’afu has signed a three-year contract with Biarritz that will keep him in France until at least 2025. Fast approaching his 24th birthday, he departs Perpignan after five years with the club largely spent with their academy side. Ma’afu enjoyed a late-season surge in 2021 …

Daniel Sancery will continue his career in France. The Brazilian test fullback joins Nationale 2 club Graulhet from the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). Sancery was born in Campinas, Brazil but was raised in France. He returned to Brazil for professional rugby purposes in 2016. Sancery played for Os …

Kévin Fabien has signed a new contract with Brive Espoirs. The center has signed following a strong showing during the 2021-2022 season. He was a regular in the mid-field where he made thirteen starts, many of which were with Juan Manuel Alonso who has returned to Uruguay. Like Alonso, Fabien …

Pumas were in the thick of the action in the Top 14 this weekend. Three backs scored tries in decisive matches; all of which were winning efforts. Bordeaux and Toulouse secured their places in the Top 14 Semi Finals while Perpignan defeated Mont de Marsan in the access match to …

Bayonne will be the new home of Facundo Bosch. The Argentine hooker will join the club from La Rochelle, starting in the 2022-2023 Top 14 season. Bosch moves from La Rochelle as a two-time European finalist and as a current European Champion. La Rochelle lost the 2021 European Champions Cup …

Argentina have suffered a hammer blow; Santiago Chocobares is out for 2022 through injury. The inside center from Rufino is to undergo knee surgery. He suffered a partial rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will be out for between six and eight months. Chocobares could …

Bayonne won the Pro D2 Final on Sunday. With it the club earned promotion back to France’s elite, the Top 14. The team defeated Mont de Marsan 49-20, doing so with former Puma Mariana Galarza as captain. Argentine hooker Pablo Dimcheff scored for the beaten finalists. The club will be …

Canadian export Kaden Duguid will stay in France for a second year. The towering second row makes the move to Limoges for the 2022-2023 season, having spent the past year with Peyrehorade. Duguid played in 15 games for Peyrehorade this past season including 11 starts. Both clubs competed in the …

Montauban have recruited an Argentine prop. The French club will be the new home of Nicolás Solveyra. The 27-year-old will make the move from Major League Rugby (MLR) to the Pro D2 next season. Solveyra joined the Houston SaberCats from Argentina in 2020. He made the move to professionalist following …