Italy

The seventh round Top 14 fixture between Bodeaux and La Rochelle will feature former Puma Francisco Goméz Kodela. The tighthead prop has been named to start in the front-row in a fixture his team is expected to win. The visiting La Rochelle will also field an Argentine player with Leandro …

Canadian international DTH van der Merwe is widely considered to have been one of the leading wingers in the pool phase of Rugby World Cup 2015 and with good reason – he scored against all opponents. He also performed well in general play as he created opportunities for his teammates. Aged …

The Up and Under is a weekly feature on Americas Rugby News which reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week.   UP Julian Savea He started the season overweight and – if we’re honest – pretty out of form. Even in the …

It took a long time for my colleagues and I here at Americas Rugby News to compile the list of foreign-born players involved in the ongoing Rugby World Cup. This was due to there simply being so many players picked for the tournament who are playing for countries other than …

Last weekend of the pool stages and there’s some very contentious match-ups all across the board. Who will top Pool D? Can Romania upset Italy to qualify for 2019? Will Japan find a way into the quarters? Here we go! Chris and Victor appear to be lost in the barrens, but we’ve …

Italy and Romania have announced their teams for their vital Pool D match in Exeter on Sunday. The game will serve as a straight knock-out of sorts as the winner automatically qualifies for the 2019 World Cup. Both sides will have to compete without their respective captains, with Sergio Parisse …

Ireland booked their place in the quarterfinals of Rugby World Cup 2015 with a narrow 16-9 victory over Italy at Olympic Park in London. In a match that would turn out to be an arm-wrestle from beginning to end, Italy’s hopes for a surprise victory took a blow after just …

Into the big weekend with some games doubling as extra knock-outs. Can Japan pick themselves up again after the tough match against Scotland? Does Samoa have another gear? Will England dig themselves out of the abyss with the Wallabies ready to trample on their dreams? Paul is our token ‘South American’ with …

Sergio Parisse is back to provide a huge boost for Italy as they face Ireland in their Pool D match at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. If the Azzurri have any hopes of recreating their victory in 2013, the captain will have to be at his very best against a …

Two weeks in and the casualties are mounting in the World Cup. More than half of the teams (11 in total) have been forced to replace at least one player, three more if you count players who were originally named in the 31-man squad but were forced to withdraw before …