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Chilean hero overlooks PREM as he chooses his next career step
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.
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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.
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.
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Videla is expected to join the club after Chile’s tour to Italy, scheduled for November.