Third Stop: Chile
Scotland’s July 2024 Americas Tour
STATE OF THE UNION
Scotland will be Chile’s third test match of 2024. Los Cóndores, like Scotland, are undefeated thus far in July. Chile defeated Hong Kong 22-17 in Talca and defeated Belgium 33-5 in Viña del Mar. The win over Hong Kong came after Chile had been 22-0 up at half-time.
The July 2024 Internationals see Chile playing for the first-time since Rugby World Cup 2023. Los Cóndores were the first debutants since Russia in 2011. With expansion to 24 teams both Belgium and Hong Kong are potential 2027 debutants. Chile’s home series can therefore serve many parties as an indicator.
Chile’s road to the World Cup required overcoming regular participants. Chile eliminated Canada in 2021 and sent the USA into global repechage in 2022. Two years later, Chile rugby is at an all-time high in hosting a, previously unthinkable, three match series including a home test against Scotland.
MATCH VENUE
Scotland’s third match of the July tour of the Americas will take place in Santiago del Chile at the Estadio Nacional. The stadium seats 48,665 people. It is a different venue to that from the July 2022 Chile vs Scotland “A” match venue. The Estadio Santa Laura is in the northern suburbs of Santiago while the Estadio Nacional is more centrally located.
CHILE AIMING FOR SECOND RUGBY WORLD CUP
The previous World Cup cycle saw Chile qualifying for a first Rugby World Cup. Chile did so via a difficult pathway of three stages. First, Chile advanced from the South American zone as South America 2. Second, Chile faced North America 2 in an interregional round. Third, after eliminating Canada, Chile took on the USA. Los Cóndores booked their spot on aggregate to qualify as Americas 2.
Chile’s qualification came two months after the USA had been allocated tournament hosting rights to Rugby World Cup 2031. Changes to the qualifying structure for 2027 are forthcoming.
Was Chile’s qualification a miracle? No. It was a combination of hard-work, careful planning and delivering on a strategy that had proven highly successful for Uruguay. Chile lost 71-8 vs the USA and 56-0 vs Canada in the 2019 Americas Rugby Championship. Chile Rugby accepted that change was essential to rectify what was a poor state.
Motivation always existed and Uruguay’s High Performance Model was Chile’s means to an end for progression. The High Performance investments came together with the creation of Selknam, Chile’s first professional rugby team. Selknam debuted in 2020 and proved to be revolutionary as demonstrated by before and after results against Canada and the USA.
30 out of 33 of Pablo Lemoine’s roster for Rugby World Cup 2023 were Selknam players. Two of the three who were not had been Selknam players in earlier years. Super Rugby Americas proved successful at fast-tracking players from the amateur game to the test arena.
Chilean eyes are now directed across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. Planning for the Rugby World Cup 2027 cycle has begun. This time the staff and players have advantages; indeed, the average age of players heading into the must-win series against Canada in 2021 was 24. Prioritizing youth has put Chile in a good position to develop further.
CHILE PROFESSIONAL RUGBY
Professional rugby in Chile began in 2000 with the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). The competition was rebranded to Super Rugby Americas. The 2024 edition of the league featured seven teams. Selknam’s best season thus far was in 2022. The Chilean side lost the Final to Peñarol.
Expansion is both intended and desired. Tucumán in Northern Argentina has been identified as plausible for 2025. There have also been moves within Chile for a new team over time. Indications are that it would be based out of the southern city of Concepcíon.
Chile caps and debutants
Head Coach Pablo Lemoine named a 37-man roster for the July Internationals. The most capped player is José Ignacio Larenas with 50 caps. He is the first-ever Chilean to reach the milestone of 50 caps. Captain Martín Sigren is second most caps with 33.
Lemoine’s roster also came with twelve uncapped inclusions. Selknam props Normal Aguayo, Simón Donoso, Ignacio González, and Baltazar Gurruchaga are uncapped as is second-rower Bruno Sáez, who plays in France, and Selknam back-rowers Andrés Kuzmanic, Ernesto Tchimin and Inti Úbeda.
Kuzmanic and Úbeda debuted against Hong Kong as did centre Clemente Armstrong and fullback Lucas Strabucchi. Scrum-half Lucas Berti debuted against Belgium. Fly-half Diego Warnken and inside centre Nicolás Saab remain uncapped.
Chilean players overseas
Chile has more players playing abroad now than previously. Members of the roster play in the USA, France, Italy and Spain.
The Major League Rugby (MLR) contingent are hooker Augusto Böhme who plays for NOLA Gold, flanker Martín Sigren who plays for the New England Free Jacks and utility back who Santiago Videla plays for Miami Sharks.
Eight members of the roster play in Europe - number eight Joaquín Milesi plays for Real Ciencias in Spain, while prop Vittorio Lastra and fly-half Rodrigo Fernández play in Italy for Rovigo and Petrarca, respectively.
Five of Lemoine’s players are attached to French clubs. Racing 92 signed Diego Escobar for the upcoming season. Iñaki Ayarza joined Top 14 promoted club Vannes from Pro D2 side Charente while Lucas Berti is an academy player for Montpellier. Bruno Sáez plays for Charente and Matías Dittus plays his rugby for Périgueux.
Ones to watch
Chile's players of note are arguably Diego Escobar, Matías Dittus, Rodrigo Fernández, twin brothers Clemente Saavedra and Domingo Saavedra, Iñaki Ayarza and captain Martín Sigren.
Escobar made his debut against Russia in November 2021. He attracted attention at the World Cup for being a hooker with live-wire ball-carrying speed and a very good work-rate. He is a second-generation Cóndor.
Dittus left Selknam for Périgueux. It helped him improve his skill-set from a raw player to an all-round tight head prop. He is a busy defender and ball-carrier who is also very solid in the scrum.
Fernández went from fullback to fly half for Chile for the elimination matches against Canada. It proved to be shrewd from the coaches. It gave Chile a play-maker with dancing feet. He scored the World Rugby Try of the Year in 2022. He now plays in Italy.
Clemente and Domingo Saavedra are twin brothers but the former plays flanker or lock and the latter plays outside centre. Despite this difference they have common strengths of hard-hitting tackles, being sharp runners and busy players in general play.
Ayarza is unique in never having played for Selknam. He plays centre or fullback, the latter was where he impressed at the World Cup, specifically for his counter-attacking. He will play in the Top 14 for Vannes on a long-term deal.
Sigren has previous experience in the UK playing for Doncaster Knights. He now plays MLR. The 28-year-old is an inspiring captain who leads by example.
Historic results versus Scotland
Saturday will see international competition beginning between Chile and Scotland at the senior level. The one prior match between the countries was an uncapped match in 2022 in which Scotland 'A' faced Chile in Santiago.
The Scotland 'A' team that day was arguably stronger than the side that played the first test match of the present tour; that being against Canada in Ottawa.
Scotland 'A' team vs Chile in 2022: 15 Ollie Smith, 14 Damien Hoyland, 13 Matt Currie, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Rufus McLean, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 George Horne; 1 Jamie Bhatti, 2 Dave Cherry, 3 Javan Sebastian, 4 Jamie Hodgson, 5 Scott Cummings, 6 Ben Muncaster, 7 Luke Crosbie, 8 Matt Fagerson
Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Murphy Walker, 19 Glen Young, 20 Magnus Bradbury, 21 Ali Price, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Mark Bennett
Chile 5-45 Scotland 'A' (Santiago, Chile)
Chile squad
Loosehead props
Normal Aguayo (Selknam, uncapped)
Javier Carrasco (Selknam, 24 caps)
Simón Donoso (Selknam, uncapped)
Salvador Lues (Selknam, 17 caps)
Hooker
Augusto Böhme (NOLA Gold, 27 caps)
Diego Escobar (Racing 92, 9 caps)
Tighthead props
Matías Dittus (Périgueux, 26 caps)
Ignacio González (Selknam, uncapped)
Iñaki Gurruchaga (Selknam, 15 caps)
Baltazar Gurruchaga (Selknam, uncapped)
Vittorio Lastra (Rovigo, 24 caps)
Locks
Javier Eissmann (Selknam, 27 caps)
Santiago Pedrero (Selknam, 11 caps)
Bruno Sáez (Charante, uncapped)
Clemente Saavedra (Selknam, 26 caps)
Back-row
Alfonso Escobar (Selknam, 24 caps)
Andrés Kuzmanic (Selknam, 1 cap)
Raimundo Martínez (Selknam, 16 caps)
Joaquín Milesi (Real Ciencias, 4 caps)
Martín Sigren (New England Free Jacks, 33 caps)
Ernesto Tchimin (Selknam, uncapped)
Inti Úbeda (Selknam, 2 caps)
Scrum-half
Lucas Berti (Montpellier, 1 cap)
Marcelo Torrealba (Selknam, 17 caps)
Benjamín Videla (Selknam, 4 caps)
Fly-half
Rodrigo Fernández (Petrarca, 27 caps)
Tomás Salas (Selknam, 4 caps)
Diego Warnken (Los Cóndores, uncapped)
Centres
Clemente Armstrong (Selknam, 1 cap)
Nicolás Saab (Selknam, uncapped)
Domingo Saavedra (Selknam, 30 caps)
Wingers
Cristóbal Game (Selknam, 4 caps)
Nicolás Garafulic (Selknam, 21 caps)
José Ignacio Larenas (Selknam, 50 caps)
Santiago Videla (Miami Sharks, 30 caps)
Fullbacks
Iñaki Ayarza (Vannes, 18 caps)
Lucas Strabucchi (Selknam, 2 caps)
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