It’s been an interesting week. Our ‘international’ selections come from a Rugby Americas Select side that doubled up on the Glendale Raptors in a Major League Rugby scouting venture. Auckland won the Mitre 10 Cup with two Americas players very prominent while a third starred in the Heartland Championship. Other …

The New Zealand Rugby Union has unveiled the rosters of all five franchises for the 2019 Super Rugby season. Each team includes 38 players comprised of Mitre 10 Cup regulars, capped All Blacks, and a sprinkling of exiles returning from stints in Japanese club rugby. One Canadian – in fact …

Utah have yet to announce it yet, but the Warriors have their first new player of the 2019 Major League Rugby season. Arriving from the Glendale Raptors is scrumhalf Jake Christmann. While only 19 years old, he helps fill arguably the most pressing gap in the Warriors roster from the …

Los Teros continue to make strides and now have something new to look forward to – Major League Rugby. It’s likely only a temporary home but several Uruguayans will take part in the 2019 season in an effort to expose their top domestic players to a more meaningful club competition. …

The San Diego Legion have been very quiet in the Major League Rugby off-season but behind the scenes there are signs of life. Multiple media sources in Fiji have now confirmed that Olympic Gold Medalist Jasa Veremalua has signed a two-year contract with the Legion. The deal will also see …

Record crowds await the Maori All Blacks in South America. The New Zealand side will play against Brazil in São Paulo and Chile in Santiago. The matches are part of a three match tour of the Americas which begins this coming Saturday against the USA at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Americas …

The Houston SaberCats have signed Irish hooker Pat O’Toole from the San Diego Legion. An Ireland u19 representative, the 23-year-old was formerly with Guinness Pro 14 side Connacht before joining San Diego for the second half of the 2018 Major League Rugby season. O’Toole qualifies for the USA on ancestry …

As it turns out Matt Hughston’s time with the New England Free Jacks was only temporary, at least for now. The former New Orleans Gold flanker skippered the Free Jacks in their inaugural match against the Ontario Arrows a week ago. He has now confirmed a move to Rugby United …

It was Dragons vs Dragons at Eugene Cross Park in Ebbw Vale on Monday evening as the Welsh regional side played host to Hong Kong in a warm-up match for the latter’s World Cup Qualifying campaign. The full-time score was 28-24, the home side taking the result by virtue of …

US Air Force Academy graduate Grigor Kerdikoshvili has been named in a 33-man Georgia squad to prepare for the upcoming November test series. The 24-year-old is one of four uncapped players selected by Milton Haig with a handful of first choice players missing through injury. Normally a No8, Kerdikoshvili is …

Just a few days after calling up seven players to his US Eagles squad for the November international series, Gary Gold has summoned three more to join camp ahead of the opening match against the New Zealand Māori in Chicago. Recalled are prop Tony Purpura and lock Nate Brakeley, with …

Jonathan Sexton will not be making the trip to Chicago for Ireland’s neutral-venue match against Italy next weekend. Joe Schmidt has opted to rest his star flyhalf and a number of other first choice players, sending only two of his Lions tourists to Soldier Field. Props Jack McGrath and Tadhg …

Uruguay has confirmed a 26-man roster for the November Internationals. Uruguay are to play four matches in Europe, playing against two club sides in addition to two test matches. The URU have put together the tour with an eye to RWC 2019. Uruguay will play their first and second pool …

Argentine hooker Facundo Bosch is to join La Rochelle from Agen. The 27-year-old Puma will take up a three-year-deal with the club according to RMC Sport. The contract will see Bosch moving from Agen to La Rochelle during the off-season. He will thereby become a La Rochelle roster member for …

Up and Under is a weekly exclusive on Americas Rugby News which reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week.   UP Canada Canada named a healthy roster for November’s RWC Repechage tournament. Including are returning overseas professional players Matt Tierney, Brett Beukeboom, …

A high-flying second half gave the Rugby Americas Selects an overwhelming 59-31 win over the Glendale Raptors at Infinity Park on Saturday. The friendly was organized as part of the Rugby Americas combine that saw 26 players from across the Americas come together in a bid to earn professional contracts …

Shane O’Leary earned Man of the Match honors for his role in Nottingham’s impressive 42-27 win over favored Ealing Trailfinders on Saturday. Trailing 27-22 early in the second half, Nottingham held the Trailfinders scoreless in the last half hour, with O’Leary kicking one penalty goal, two wide-angle conversions, and a …

COBS are the 2018 Champions of Chile. The club from Santiago defeated Old Boys 14-0 in the national club final on Saturday to be crowned national champions for the fifth time. Prior to winning the Top 8 Final this year COBS previously were Chile champions in 1980, 1991, 2013, and …

Juan Imhoff went over for two further tries this weekend. Following on from his score last weekend in the Champions Cup against Ulster the Argentine speedster grabbed a double against Pau on Saturday. He did so in what was his 150th appearance for the French club. Both of Imhoff’s tries …

Samu Manoa scored on his Pro 14 debut. Playing in South Africa on Saturday the Californian enforcer scored the only try for the Cardiff Blues who fell to a 21-10 defeat against the Cheetahs. Manoa joined the Cardiff Blues this season from Toulon. He made his debut last weekend in …