Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Chilean hero overlooks PREM as he chooses his next career step

Santiago Videla #12 of Miami Sharks looks on during the first half of the game between Miami Sharks and NOLA Gold at Florida Blue Training Center on February 23, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Chris Arjoon/Getty Images)

Chilean utility back Santiago Videla will be a member of the Chicago Hounds pack for the next season, as he is close to penning a contract with the Illinois club. After helping Chile qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Videla was looking for his next step as a pro player, having been one of the players affected by the Miami Sharks’ withdrawal from Major League Rugby, and had attracted interest from the Gallagher PREM.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 27-year-old spent the last two years of his career at the Florida club, collecting 102 points over 23 games, and was valued as one of the biggest threats from the tee in the MLR.

Videla’s first steps as a senior player were taken while playing for Santiago’s Old Grangonian Club, before joining the Chilean Super Rugby Americas franchise Selknam in 2020.

He won his first cap for Chile in 2017, starting as a fly-half in his side’s 23-03 win over Kenya, and has been a first-team regular since then.

After years of restructuring under Pablo Lemoine, Chile were finally able to mount a successful World Cup qualification challenge in 2022. Despite losing against Uruguay in the Sudamerica playoff, the Cóndores went on to qualify for France 2023 after claiming a sensational aggregate win against the United States of America.

Fixture
Gallagher Premiership
Northampton
43 - 31
Full-time
Saracens
All Stats and Data

At the time, Videla, who had already scored a try and four conversions, landed the final three points that qualified Chile for their first World Cup at the Eagles’ expense. At the World Cup, Videla featured on the wing for Chile in their matches against Japan, Samoa and Argentina.

In 2024, he moved to the MLR, signing with the Miami Sharks alongside a few of his Cóndores teammates, staying with the club until its dissolution.

Despite the uncertainty over his future, Videla played a masterful role in Chile’s second World Cup qualification, successfully slotting in nine kicks out of 12 in the two-leg matches against Samoa.

The Chicago Hounds played their first MLR season in 2024 and have been strengthening their squad for the upcoming season, with Chris Latham being the head coach of the Illinois team.

ADVERTISEMENT

Videla is expected to join the club after Chile’s tour to Italy, scheduled for November.

Related

ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

Comments on RugbyPass

T
Tom 1 hour ago
Change at the top is only answer for England – Andy Goode

We aren't miles ahead of any other nation in terms of talent at all. I agree Borthwick is a mediocre coach but let's not get carried away. France have won the u20 world cup three out of the last five times and just beat us in both the u20 and u18 six nations… and I don't think many people would claim we've got more talent than SA or the ABs either. Ibitoye isn't someone you want in a test match, he's so unpredictable. In a tight test match there are very few scoring opportunities for wingers but there are lots of opportunities for wingers to make defensive misreads and balls things up. In a tightly contested, low scoring game, you'd much rather have someone like Feyi Wabosi who has X factor but can be relied upon to defend properly or not have a brain farts, we've got other good wingers without needing Ibitoye.

I agree in general with your sentiment but we should be realistic. We've won the u20 WC once in the last decade, won the six nations only twice. A prem club hasn't won anything in Europe since Bristol won the challenge cup when they had Piutau, Radradra. There is talent out there for sure but our clubs and u20s aren't enjoying the level of success which could support statements about us having the most talent in the world. If a new coach comes in they aren't going to wave a magic wand and make us the best team in the world. There are a lot of structural problems and engrained attitudes which need to be overcome within the RFU and Prem etc. Plus any new coach is going to have to undo the damage Borthwick and Wigglesworth have done. They're going to have their work cut out for them.



...

36 Go to comments
Close
ADVERTISEMENT