It’s been a big year for rugby in the Americas and 2016 looks certain to be the biggest yet. The same can be said for Americas Rugby News. After initially discussing a post-World Cup start, we decided to push things well ahead of schedule and actually turned the lights on …

The Aviva Premiership is also geared up for a big weekend, and there are nearly a dozen Americas players on show over the course of Saturday and Sunday. London Irish gets things underway on Saturday against Northampton at the Madejski Stadium, and two Canadians have been named on the Exiles …

The Guinness Pro 12 is also firing on all cylinders in the first of two Festive Derbies weekends. Traditionally among the most popular matches of the season, every game should be intense as players look to get the edge in selection ahead of the Six Nations championship that kicks off …

There won’t be much rest for Greene King IPA Championship players, as the season continues on Saturday and Sunday. A half-dozen Canucks and two Argies are on duty this weekend. The all-Canadian engine room at Doncaster has been broken up, with Jon Phelan the fortunate one to wear the no5 …

Argentina’s 12-man roster for the Americas Seven in Mar del Plata has been named. The side trained by Santiago Gómez Cora is preparing for the international Sevens competition to be played in the city of Mar del Plata on January 9-10. The selected players will meet in Buenos Aires on January …

URU President Argentine Esteban Meneses is the new Uruguay Head Coach, replacing Pablo Lemoine. The Uni´n de Rugby del Uruguay (URU) made the announcement on Wednesday, thereby confirming the structure of the Uruguayan senior men’s staff ahead of the upcoming competition in 2016. Los Teros will join Argentina, Brazil, Canada, …

Los Puma fly half Nicolás Sánchez has been distinguished as the best Argentine rugby player of the year 2015. Voted in by sports journalists at a special function in Buenos Aires on Tuesday evening, Sánchez was one of three finalists, the others being captain Agustín Creevy and left winger Juan …

Canada won’t have a team in PRO Rugby for 2016, but it will have a revamped Canadian Rugby Championship (CRC). The competition has had its ups and downs over the years – odd scheduling, questionable commitment, and even tribal warfare with the BC rugby union – but it remains the …

Former Pumas fullback Martín Bustos Moyano has extended his contract with Bayonne for a further two years. The French club was relegated from the Top 14 last season and currently sits in second place on the Pro D2 table, with strong aspirations of an immediate return to the first division. …

National senior men’s head coach Kieran Crowley has signed a two year contract extension with Rugby Canada following an internal review of the World Cup program. The review committee acknowledged that the program had not met expectations in terms of win-loss results, but determined that progress had been made during …

Los Yakarés are training hard in anticipation for the Americano de Seven Rugby Sevens tournament. To be played in the Argentine beach-resort city of Mar del Plata the Paraguayans will begin 2016 by competing in an international tournament brining together countries from throughout the Americas. Being trained by Manuel Ruiz and …

Juan Pablo Orlandi does not yet have a club for 2016. The 32 year old Puma from Mendoza is weighing up his options as the possibility exists for him to play Super Rugby or return to Europe. He told ESPN Scrum that “in 15 days it will be confirmed”. Orlandi …

Andrew Durutalo and Tomás Leonardi are among 34 players who have been officially named as part of the first ever Sunwolves team to take part in Super Rugby beginning in 2016. As announced previously on Americas Rugby News, Durutalo leaves the USA Eagles 7s to take part in the competition …

The strong Argentine-Uruguayan rugby alliance is set to become even stronger. In addition to Uruguay being a part of the new Americas Rugby Championship and the Uruguay XV playing in the Argentine Provincial Championship traditional clubs Old Christians and Old Boys are to play in the Torneo del Interior B. …

Lots of European action on the go again this week, with both the Challenge and Champions Cup to comb over as well as the French Pro D2 and the British & Irish Cup. Some big names were absent but still a few familiar faces in the lineup along with a …

Argentine tighthead prop Francisco Goméz Kodela is tipped to join Lyon next season. The 30 year old is currently playing his second season for Bordeaux in the Top 14 and enjoying regular game time in both the French competition and the European Rugby Champions Cup. Bordeaux is his second French …

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 Jamie Cudmore A superb performance in the engine from from Jamie Cudmore contributed heavily to Clermont Auvergne getting back on track in …

With sweltering 40ºC heat in Rio de Janeiro Ipanamea Beach played host to an international invitational Beach Rugby event. Organized together by the CBRu and World Rugby, the competition was an opportunity for Brazil to further increase the profile of rugby ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games. As in 2014 …

Uncapped Argentine prop Carlos Muzzio has extended his contract with Stade Montois for a further three years. The 30-year-old loosehead specialist joined the Pro D2 club from Tarbes ahead of the 2014-15 season and has established himself as first choice in the no1 jersey over the past 18 months. He …

Interim head coach JD Stephenson has named 52 players to participate in a Junior All Americans training camp at Arizona’s Casa Grande Academy from December 19-22. The camp will act as a preliminary selection vehicle for a second camp to be held in January, and ultimately to take part in …