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 Canada’s Women Already rising after a brilliant tournament opener against England, Canada showed no mercy to hosts USA and closed out the …

Canada wrapped up a wonderful Women’s Super Series on the weekend with their third consecutive runaway victory against top opposition. In besting the top two teams from the 2016 Six Nations, the women have risen two spots to overtake both England and France and claim second spot, their highest ever …

Brazil have named their teams for both the men’s and women’s brackets of the Rio Olympic 7s tournament next month. The sides show few if any surprises, with the teams largely sticking to the groups that participated on the HSBC Sevens Series this season. The men have opted to name …

Anyone watching Argentina’s dreadful showing in the second test against France can be forgiven for thinking it was déjà vu. The manner in which Los Pumas followed on from winning the opening test to surrendering in the second half one week later brought the team back down to earth. It was …

A promising first half from the Breakers was washed away by Denver in a totally one-sided second half as the Stampede trampled San Diego by a score of 59-23 at CIBER Field on Sunday afternoon. The lackluster showing was well short of what the visitors might have hoped for coming …

Ohio continued their winning ways at Bonney Field on Saturday evening, but not before Sacramento showed their courage with a stirring final 20 minutes that left the score a respectable 41-31. The Aviators offensive machine was again to the fore with their offloading abilities making things incredibly difficult for the …

The Wolf Pack took a big step towards defending their Johnsonville Canadian Rugby Championship title as they took the second match against the BC Bears on Saturday by a score of 25-17 at Bullen Park. An exciting first half despite damp conditions had the two teams nearly level with only …

The USA dropped a one-sided 39-13 result to England in the final game of the 2016 Women’s Rugby Super Series at the Regional Athletic Center on Saturday. A hat-trick to winger Lydia Thompson was the root of many woes suffered by the hosts on the way to a third defeat …

Canada are champions of the 2016 Women’s Rugby Super Series after a third consecutive victory, defeating France by a score of 29-10 on Saturday. In defeating the Six Nations champions, Canada now have a legitimate claim to being the best team in the Northern Hemisphere, and their incredible 114-32 points …

Canada’s Maple Leafs closed out their two-game series against the Collegiate All-Americans with a dominant 45-13 result in Salt Lake City on Saturday. The match acted as a curtain raiser for the final round of the Women’s Super Series. While both teams were development sides, the Americans can take solace …

Los Jaguares were embarrassed by the defending champion Highlanders at Vélez Sarsfield on Saturday, losing their second-last match of the season by a score of 34-8. Defensive lapses and a poor lineout cost them dearly, with five throws pinched by the visitors depriving them of critical first phase possession. It …

Denver returns to CIBER Field well rested after a week’s vacation to host the mid-table San Diego Breakers on Sunday afternoon. Despite coming off a win in their last outing against Sacramento, the Stampede find themselves six points behind the usurpers Ohio albeit with two games at hand. A big …

Sacramento host the Ohio Aviators at Bonney Field on Saturday in the first of two PRO games on the weekend to start the final quarter of the season. The Express were inspired against San Francisco and earned just their second win of the season on Sunday, while Ohio had little …

The Bears host the Wolf Pack in the return leg of the western franchises in Johnsonville Canadian Rugby Championship action on Saturday. BC came up short by a score of 27-21 a week ago and will be keen to make home field advantage bridge the gap and earn their first …

The 2016 Women’s Rugby Super Series comes to a close in Salt Lake City on Saturday as Canada look to wrap up the title against France and the USA seek their first win against England. A bonus point of any kind will be enough for Canada to claim top spot …

Jen Kish will lead Canada’s entry into the inaugural Olympic Sevens in Rio next month. The captain is one of 12 named by head coach John Tait to continue the dream in a team largely expected, though there is one particularly notable absentee who has already caught headlines. World Cup …

Chilean second row Matías Cabrera has switched clubs in Spain’s División de Honor. After spending three years in the city centre with Complutense Cisneros he moves to Alcobendas, located on the outskirts of Madrid. The 28-year-old was selected to play for Los Cóndores in the Americas Rugby Championship, six years …

It’s hard to believe, but we’re now less than a month away from the first appearance of seven-a-side rugby at the Olympic Games, and the return of any kind of rugby after nearly a century’s absence. The full schedule for both the men’s and women’s competitions has now been released …

It’s a special edition of the Up and Under. Following the completion of the June international series Americas Rugby News takes a look at the great and not-so-great from Americas teams last month. UP AJ MacGinty There is no need to beat around the bush, AJ MacGinty is on his way to …

Three promising players from the Americas – two from Argentina and one from Canada – are heading to France to join the academy program at Top 14 club Pau. Joel Sclavi, Ignacio Calles, and Matt Beukeboom will make the move in their first steps towards becoming fully professional players. The …