While much of the rugby world will be focused on the start of Europe’s Six Nations this weekend, on the other side of the Atlantic the Americas Rugby Championship will get underway as it seeks to further grow the sport in the Western hemisphere. For the United States, it represents a valuable opportunity for competitive matchups against five other teams in the region.
After rugby in North and South America came under the umbrella of one organization for the first time, the competition is now in its second year. And the chairman of Americas Rugby, Agustín Pichot, is expecting a significant improvement for the 2017 edition.
“Last year, in our inaugural season, having a tournament for the whole of the Americas was as much a dream as a necessity,” he said, according to the Buenos Aires Herald. “Teams have been working tirelessly in preparation, and unlike last year, the tournament has become a focal point of their season be it at the start of it for teams in the South or in the middle for the North.”
For the U.S., the competition begins Saturday when hosting Uruguay in San Antonio, Texas. The two teams also faced off in the opening encounter of last year’s championship, when Uruguay came out on top 29-25 in Montevideo. The USA Eagles would go on to lose the Brazil next time out before rebounding with victories over Chile and Canada and drawing against an Argentina XV side. The Argentinian team, essentially a second-string roster, won the competition at a canter last time around.
New Zealander John Mithchell had taken over the U.S. right before last year’s Americas Rugby Championship, but he’s now had more than a year at the helm and will be eager for some victories having seen his side lose all three of their admittedly tough autumn internationals. The tournament will also act as important preparation for qualifying for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which will get underway in June.
Blaine Scully of the United States evades a tackle by Vasily Artemyev of Russia in the second half of the match at Bonney Field, June 25, 2016 in Sacramento, California. Photo: Getty Images
“We’re getting closer to what our squad of 30 will be for June’s Rugby World Cup Qualifiers, but there are positions up for grabs,” Mitchell said at a training camp in California last week. “The biggest area for development — and it doesn’t happen overnight — is the development of a second and third scrum. We have nice group of young guys now but it’s going to take time.”
Back in the side after a seven-month absence will be Irish-born AJ MacGinty, one of whom is still a select few Eagles to operate at a high level overseas. Meanwhile, there will be a debut for hooker Peter Malcolm in a side that will be led by captain Blaine Scully and veteran vice-captain Todd Clever.
USA Roster Americas Rugby Championship 2017
Nate Augspurger (Old Blue of New York)
Chris Baumann (Denver Stampede)
Demecus Beach (Old Blue of New York/Ohio Aviators)
Nate Brakeley (New York Athletic Club)
Bryce Campbell (Indiana University)
Ben Cima (Rocky Gorge Rugby Football Club)
Nick Civetta (Newcastle Falcons, England)
Todd Clever (Austin Huns)
Shaun Davies (Glendale Raptors, Ohio Aviators)
Spike Davis (Columbus Rugby Club, Ohio Aviators)
Cameron Dolan (Cardiff Blues, Wales)
JP Eloff (Chicago Lions/Ohio Aviators)
Hanco Germishuys (Austin Huns)
James Hilterbrand (Manley Rugby, Australia)
Luke Huime (Old Blue of New York)
Matthew Jensen (Bingham Young University)
Olive Kilifi (Seattle Saracens/Sacramento Express)
Tony Lamborn (Hawke’s Bay Magpies, New Zealand)
AJ MacGinty (Sale Sharks, England)
Will Magie (Glendale Raptors/Denver Stampede)
Siaosi Mahoni (Life West/San Francisco Rush)
Peter Malcolm (Wheeling Jesuit University/Ohio Aviators)
Ryan Matyas (Old Blue of New York)
Alex Maughan (Life University)
Al McFarland (New York Athletic Club)
Anthony Purpura (Boston Rugby Club)
John Quill (Glendale Raptors/Sacramento Express)
Blaine Scully (Cardiff Blues, Wales)
David Tameilau (RC Narbonne, France/San Francisco Rush)
Ben Tarr (Glendale Raptors/Denver Stampede)
Mike Te’o (San Diego Breakers)
Zack Test (Men’s Eagles Sevens)
Andrew Turner (Unattached)
Dino Waldren (Unattached)
Calvin Whiting (Brigham Young University)
2017 Americas Rugby Championship TV Schedule (all times EST)
Round 1
Friday
Brazil vs. Chile (5:15 p.m., Pacaembu Stadium, São Paulo )
Saturday
USA vs. Uruguay (4 p.m., Toyota Field, San Antonio)
Canada vs. Argentina XV (8 p.m., Westhills Stadium, Langford, British Columbia)
Round 2
Feb. 11
Argentina XV vs. Uruguay (5:10 p.m., Estadio Villa Mitre, Buenos Aires)
USA vs. Brazil (7 p.m., Dell Diamond, Round Rock, Texas)
Canada vs. Chile (8 p.m., Westhills Stadium)
Week 3
Feb. 18
Chile vs. Argentina (4 p.m., Estadio CAP, Talcahuano)
Uruguay vs. Brazil (6 p.m., Estadio Domingo Burgueño, Maldonado)
Canada vs. USA (8 p.m., Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, British Columbia)
Week 4
Feb. 25
Chile vs. USA (TBD)
Argentina vs. Brazil (3:40 p.m., Estadio Municipal, Comodoro Rivadavia)
Uruguay vs. Canada (6 p.m., 6 p.m., Estadio Domingo Burgueño)
Week 5
March 3
Brazil vs. Canada (4:15 p.m., Pacaembu Stadium )
March 4
Uruguay vs. Chile (2 p.m., Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo)
Argentina vs. USA (3:40 p.m., Estadio Municipal)
TV and Live Stream Info: All the U.S. matches will be screened live on The Rugby Channel with a delayed showing later in the day on ESPN2. All other matches will be live streamed on ESPN3.
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