VICTORIA, CANADA – Bienvenue Au Canada! Welcome to Canada, eh! Victoria, British Columbia is a city and province with proud rugby tradition and host of The Americas Rugby Championship for 2012. As the third installation of The Americas Rugby Championship, this incarnation might be the best yet.
To be clear, this is not THE Rugby Championship. Most rugby fans might know that to be the competition featuring New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina. The Rugby Championship ended last weekend.
Anyway, this competition got underway last night, as Argentina and Canada beat the USA and Uruguay, respectively. It features the second sides for the USA, Canada, Uruguay and Argentina. By second sides, we mean B-sides. Internationally, they are referred to as USA A, Canada A, Uruguay Teros and the Argentina Jaguars. These primarily developmental sides are here to play solid international rugby with domestic players only.
No team has a player with more than 3 test caps and all the big name internationals are with their pro clubs. Further, since these countries don’t have viable professional domestic leagues, the competition will be good for all. Here is a list of the sides and players.
USA
Head Coach: Mike Tolkin
Captain: TBA
Squad List:
Forwards
Nicholas Wallace (St Mary’s College)
Zachary Fenoglio (Glendale)
Derek Asbun (Rosslyn Park FC)
Stanton Moaalii (Glendale RFC)
Anthony Purpura (Boston)
Timothy Paulsen (Chicago Griffins)
Thomas Katzfey (Life University)
Nicholas Civetta (NYAC)
Graham Harriman (Chicago Griffins)
John Quill (Boston)
Kristopher Headlee (Life University)
Taylor Mokate (USA Rugby Sevens)
Eric Duechle (Belmont)
Cameron Dolan (Life University)
Backs
Shaun Davies (BYU)*
Benny Mateialona (Life University)
Zachary Pangelinan (OMBAC)
Casey Clark (At Large)
Jack Tracy (Belmont Shore)
Zachary Mizell (Arkansas State University)
Joseph Cowley (Life University)
Dean Gericke (Arkansas State University)
Miles Craigwell (OPSB)
Christopher Chapman (NYAC)
Gearoid McDonald (Old Belvedere)
Cornelius Dirksen (Life University)
Canada A:
Head Coach: Kieran Crowley
Captain: TBA
Squad list:
NAME (Club/CRC Club) Hometown
Tyler Ardron (Brantford Harlequins/Ontario Blues) Lakefield, ON
Kyle Armstrong (Ajax Wanderers/Ontario Blues) Whitby, ON
Ray Barkwill (Niagara, Oakville Crusaders/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON
Nick Blevins (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB
Connor Braid (James Bay AA/Pacific Tyee) Victoria, BC
Hubert Buydens (Saskatoon Wild Oats/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK
Alistair Clark (Oakville Crusaders/Ontario Blues) Oakville, ON
Zac Coughlan (Swilers RFC/The Rock) St. John’s, NL
Aaron Flagg (Abbotsford RFC/Pacific Tyee) Abbotsford, BC
Michael Fuailefau (Castaway Wanderers RFC/Pacific Tyee) Victoria, BC
Josh Hart (Cowichan RFC/Prairie Wolf Pack) Minitonas, MB
Creag Johnston (Toronto Scottish/Ontario Blues) Woodbridge, ON
Pat Kay (Cowichan RFC/Pacific Tyee) Duncan, BC
Chris Long (L’Aquila Rugby 1936/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB
Clayton Meeres (Abbotsford RFC/Pacific Tyee) Chilliwack, BC
Owen Parfrey (Swilers RFC /The Rock) St. John’s, NL
Patrick Parfrey (Swilers RFC/The Rock) St. John’s, NL
Seb Pearson (Lindsay RFC, London St. Georges/Ontario Blues) Lindsay, ON
Jon Phelan (St. Anne-de Bellevue/The Rock) Montreal, QC
Jacob Rumball (Balmy Beach/Ontario Blues) Toronto, ON
Liam Underwood (Balmy Beach/Ontario Blues) Toronto, ON
Sean White (James Bay AA/Pacific Tyee) Victoria, BC
Jordan Wilson Ross (Barrie RFC/Ontario Blues) Alliston, ON
Toni Wodzicki (Wanderers RFC/The Rock) Montreal, QC
Doug Wooldridge (Lindsay RFC/Ontario Blues) Lindsay, ON
Uruguay Teros
Head Coach: Pablo Lemoine
Captain: TBA
Squad List:
Arturo Avalo (Carrasco Polo)
Fernando Bascou (PSG)
Felipe Berchesi (Carrasco Polo)
Pablo Bueno (Champagnat)
Alejo Corral (SIC- Arg)
Juan De Freitas (Champagnat)
Rodolfo de Mula (PSG)
Oscar Duran (Carrasco Polo)
Alejo Duran (Trébol de Paysandú)
Jerónimo Etcheverryv(Carrasco Polo)
Federico Favaro (Old Christian’s)
Santiago Gibernau (Carrasco Polo)
Francisco Jimenez Champagnat)
Franco Lamanna (Carrasco Polo)
Guillermo Lijtenstein (Trébol de Paysandú)
Diego Magno (Montevideo Cricket)
Rodrigo Martinez (Carrasco Polo)
Gaston Mieres (Lobos)
Juan Ormaechea (Carrasco Polo)
Mateo Sanguinetti (Los Cuervos)
Mathias Palomeque (Trébol de Paysandú)
Juan Rombys (Trébol de Paysandú)
Sebastian Sagario (Carrasco Polo)
Rodrigo Silva (Carrasco Polo)
Cristofer Soares de Lima (Montevideo Cricket)
Francisco Vecino (Carrasco Polo)
Agustin Alonso (Montevideo Cricket)
Argentina Yaguaretés
Head Coach: Santiago Phelan
Captain: TBA
Squad List:
Lisandro Ahualli de Chazal (Universitario) Number Eight
Andrés Alvarado (Liceo RC) Prop
Rodolfo Ambrosio (Tala RC) Scrum-Half
Rodrigo Báez (Liceo RC) Flanker
Facundo Barrea (Córdoba Athletic) Wing
Tomás Borghi (SIC) Lock
Juan Ignacio Brex (San Cirano) Centre
Alejandro Campos (Pueyrredón) Flanker
Ariel Castelina (Universitario) Prop
Valentín Cruz (Pucará) Fly-Half
Tomás Cubelli (Belgrano Athletic) Scrum-Half
Jerónimo De la Fuente (Duendes RC) Centre
Tomás De la Vega (CUBA) Flanker
César Fruttero (Jockey Club de Villa María) Lock
Martín García Veiga (Buenos Aires C&RC) Hooker
Juan Gómez (Matreros) Prop
Santiago González Iglesias (Alumni) Fly-Half
Benjamín Macome (Tucuman RC) Flanker
Román Miralles (Duendes RC) Fullback
Manuel Montero (Pucará) Wing
Ramiro Moyano (Lince RC) Fullback
Matías Orlando (Huirapuca) Wing
Lucas Ponce (CUBA) Lock
Bruno Postiglioni (La Plata RC) Hooker
Javier Rojas (Universitario) Centre
Ignacio Sáenz Lancuba (San Cirano) Prop
2012 IRB Americas Rugby Championship
Westhills Stadium
1089 Langford Parkway,
Langford, BC
October 12th
Argentina 39 USA 3
Canada 28 Uruguay, 10
October 16th
Argentina v Uruguay, kick off at 5:30pm
Canada v USA, kick off at 7:30pm
October 20th
USA v Uruguay, kick off at 5:30pm
Canada v Argentina, kick off at 7:30pm
This tournament will be won by Argentina. They are way ahead of anyone in the Americas. Almost to a man, their players for The Rugby Championship (TRC) play abroad professionally. So while the team they are sending to the ARC is strictly domestic, their domestic competition is of a higher quality than the other 3 teams…
After Argentina there is daylight; a battle between USA and Canada for 2nd and 3rd, with with Uruguay the likely last-place finisher. Uruguay will be finishing up their domestic season and come mostly from 3 or 4 clubs, so they might have more continuity than their larger North American opponents. That wasn’t the case last night, though, as Canada handled Uruguay 28-10.
Before ending, we’d like to remind all our readers to see the Counter-Rucking Cancer fundraiser. It only takes a moment and anything you have to give is appreciated.
That is it for me, for now. You can find us on the Facebook Rugby Wrap Up Page or on Twitter @JunoirBlaber and @RugbyWrapUp, respectively.
And as always, stay low and keep pumping those legs.
