With the Six Nations on ice until next weekend, fans’ attention can return to the grind of domestic action, with many returning international stars out to prove a point.
However, it is not just in Europe that club sides are preparing to take centre stage. If fans are looking for attacking rugby with a dash of Latin flair, they need only look to South America, where the party is about to begin.
Super Rugby Americas returns with a bang this weekend, with six of the tournament’s seven teams in action.
The club franchises are situated across six different countries, ensuring the competition has the feel of a domestic league while carrying the stakes of a continental tournament; it takes place over fourteen rounds before the top four sides contest the play-offs.
Joe Santamaria looks forward to the start of the tournament and picks out some of the plotlines to follow as the weeks progress.
Teams to watch:
Peñarol: The Uruguayan outfit enters this season with a target on their back as they look for a third championship in a row. The side is full of internationals, many of whom performed superbly in the World Cup but will have to do without their former talisman, Manuel Ardao, who has left the side for pastures new.
Selknam: Having missed out on the playoffs last season, the Chilean franchise has recruited a new head coach in New Zealander Jake Mangin and will be itching to get going after their bye round this weekend. A number of players will have been exposed to elite international rugby for the first time when Chile appeared in France and one imagines they will be all the better for those experiences.
American Raptors: The USA‘s sole franchise in the tournament, the Colorado club finished sixth in their debut campaign last year and conceded the most points in the competition. Having recruited wisely during the off-season, their defence is sure to be less porous this time around, while they have an attack that can trouble anyone on their day.
Players to Watch:
Baltazar Amaya: Equally adept on the wing or at fullback, Amaya will have won plenty of admirers after his performances for Uruguay at the Rugby World Cup. With pace to burn and a lethal step, the Peñarol flyer is the kind of player who gets fans off their feet and seems capable of producing highlight reel-worthy moments whenever he takes the field. If you’re watching him, be sure not to blink.
Robert Tenório: The powerful inside centre causes havoc in midfield and is nearly impossible to stop close to the line. His physical presence demands that defenses mark him closely but this allows him to be used as a decoy to free up room for Cobras’ outside backs. If you’re looking for broken tackles and offloads, he’s your man.
Mariano Garcete: Yacare’s new captain is a bruising second row who will be giving Pampas‘ ballcarriers sleepless nights ahead of their opening-round clash. The Paraguayan brings an abrasive edge to the pitch that few teams can match and will be leading his side from the front as they look to improve on last season’s semi-final appearance.
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