After an ominous start the best rugby competition in the Americas is now thriving

As omens go, starting a professional tournament in February 2020 might have proven a disaster as after only three games the world shut-down, teams had to be dismembered, and the future looked ominous.

With Jaguares a finalist in Super Rugby 2019 and heading into its fifth season competing against New Zealand, Australian and South African franchises, the then Superliga Americana de Rugby was born in South America, created and managed by regional association Sudamérica Rugby, as a second-tier competition would create new players for Jaguares and also push the growth of national teams in competing countries such as Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and Colombia.

Under strict health protocols – teams quarantined in hotels for three months, the tournament was completed in 2021, and in a far more open environment, was again played in 2022. After securing a permission from SANZAAR, it was renamed and revamped to become Super Rugby Americas from 2023.

Valentine’s day will kick-start the third edition of what has become the best rugby in the Americas with seven franchises – one each from Brasil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay and three from regional leaders Argentina.

This year, Dogos XV (based in Córdoba) defends the title won last year after being losing finalists in 2023. Finalist in 2024 Pampas (Buenos Aires) and debutant Tarucas (based in rugby hotbed Tucumán) are the three Argentine franchises. Champion in 2022 and 2023 is Peñarol Rugby (Montevideo, Uruguay), Selknam (Santiago, Chile), Cobras Brasil Rugby (Sao Paulo) and Yacare XV (Asunción, Paraguay) complete the lineup; the national teams of these four teams will compete for places in Rugby World Cup 2027.

The importance of this higher level of competition was clear when Uruguay and Chile secured their places at France 2023 at the expense of Canada and the USA Eagles, as franchises worked tirelessly to develop high performance programmes and players, generating better performances for their national teams.

One team from the region will qualify directly to Australia, a second playing probably Canada or the USA for a spot and a third qualifying for the Final Qualifying Tournament.

As a stepping stone towards the coveted World Cup place, Super Rugby Americas has become very important.

The involvement of each national union is ever-present in the rugby side of things. For example, the Argentine Rugby Union has ensured players in their HP programmes are deployed in the three franchises and 30 plus players preparing for the U20s Rugby Championship and the World Rugby Championship later this year are heavily involved, all playing in warm-up games.

A number of players that came through Superliga Americana de Rugby and Super Rugby Americas have found their way to Los Pumas in the last five years and, eventually, later transfering to European clubs – flanker Juan Martín González (Saracens) and centre Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse), to name a couple of world-class Pumas.

Pumas’ coach Felipe Contepomi has confirmed the importance of this tournament; handful of players that played in SRA 2024, made their test debuts, including lock Franco Molina, who scored a try in Los Pumas 38-30 defeat of the All Blacks and played in the team’s twelve tests.

Kick-starting on Friday, February 14, Super Rugby Americas will reach its climax after 45 games on Friday June 13th.

The seven participating teams are:

Dogos XV (Argentina)

Based in central Argentina, Dogos XV played the last two finals, beating fellow Argentine side Pampas to take silverware.

Gone are locks Molina and 2024 Pumitas captain Efraín Elías, now in Toulouse; they have a solid team under coach Nicolás Galatro.

Included in the squad is former sevens legend Gastón Revol, who at 38 will make his XVs professional debut.

“I tell my players they have to look at him, see how he ties his shoelaces, how he hydrates,” said Galatro.

He added: “The yearly growth of Super Rugby Americas is incredible. Each season is more competitive, more professional. We started this franchise from scratch and our structure nowadays is huge.”

“This year, SRA will be the most competitive to date.”

Current Puma prop Leonel Oviedo could soon be accompanied by scrumhalf Agustín Moyano and wing Mateo Soler in the national team.

Pampas (Argentina)

The Buenos Aires-based franchise is coached by Juan Manuel Leguizamón, who made his coaching debut last season. He led them to the final, where they lost 37-23 at home at the Club Atlético San Isidro.

His current squad includes two players first capped in 2024: loose forward Joaquín Moro and utility back Justo Piccardo. Scrumhalf Eliseo Morales, capped in 2023, is on the comeback trail whilst other players to keep an eye on are loosie Nicolás Damorin, halfback Ignacio Inchauspe and wing Santiago Pernas who were involved with the national squad last year. Also ready to make a name for himself in XVs is winger Ignacio Latorre, after playing for Los Pumas 7s.

“In our second season we continue to focus on the game we want to play, but also on developing the team, giving players weapons and that they can feel an environment of joy, love, confidence. This in turn impacts on how we perform,” said Puma legend Leguizamón.

Yacare XV (Paraguay)

A sudden death penalty from halfway denied the Paraguayan franchise their place in last season’s final, losing against champions Dogos XV in Córdoba.

“We believe we could have won that game,” said head coach Ricardo Lefort, who doubles as national coach.

Even though the ultimate goal for Paraguay is RWC 2027 qualifiers starting in August, “we are thinking on Super Rugby Americas, not beyond, as we must take care of what is ahead of us.”

“SRA 2025 is going to be much more competitive as teams prepare for the qualifiers.”

Of the current squad of 41 players, 28 are eligible for Paraguay when they play home and away against Uruguay to advance to the South American final.

Sebastián Urbieta, Ramiro Amarilla and captain Mariano Garcete are players that will lead from the front.

Peñarol Rugby (Uruguay)

Two-time champions (2022 & 2023), the franchise attached to the famous football club, will be under new coach Ivo Dugonjic, who coached Uruguay 7s to the Olympic Games in Paris.
Flyhalf Tite Etcheverry, instrumental in the two titles, returns after a year away and will be instrumental in a side that knows that the silver lining of a good tournament is qualifying with Los Teros to Rugby World Cup. 

“A good season will hel in giving Los Teros sufficient confidence ahead of the qualifiers,” said Dugonjic.

It has the most experienced squad in the tournament, including veteran prop Mateo Sanguinetti, a starter in the last three World Cups.

Selknam (Chile)

Chile would have probably never dreamt of playing in a Rugby World Cup had it not been for the Superliga Americana de Rugby and Super Rugby Americas.

Kiwi-born coach Jake Mangin works closely with national coach Pablo Lemoine. In a squad full of internationals, they have added Chilean-born Tomas Baguley-Bonsma, born in Chile, who grew up in South Africa. At 18, they hope to fast-track through SRA to Los Cóndores.

Clemente Saavedra takes the captainship from twin Domingo, injured. Cóndores captain Martín Sigren is back to ensure a better preparation ahead of the crucial qualifying process.

Cobras Brasil Rugby (Brazil)

Chiefs Academy prop Aoturoa Seeling, who played for Bay of Plenty in last year’s NPC is one of two New Zealanders in the Sao Paulo-based franchise. He joins lock Ben Donald, a long-time resident of Brasil.

With the ultimate goal of qualifying Os Tupis to Australia 2027, coach Emiliano Caffera, who was assistant coach of Uruguay in RWC 2015 and of Chile in 2023, hopes SRA will help.

Perennial underachievers, under Caffera, Cobras Brasil Rugby “hopes to have a better tournament, be competitive in every game and try players and options that will help us be ready for July.”

Tarucas (Argentina)

Remember the Battle of Tucumán against the Springboks in1993? Or the NZ Maori game in 1988?

Tucumán minted a place in the oval world with the passion and, it must be said, madness the Clockwork Orange provincial team generated in a vociferous crowd. 

The home-factor will be strong for the new team in Super Rugby Americas, replacing the American Raptors, the Denver-based team no longer involved.

“Starting everything from scratch was a spectacular challenge,” says Álvaro Galindo, who was Pumitas coach until he took a job at his home province.

Having them involved has generated interest in fans and opposition. “People are ready for Saturday’s opener, and to hear that our opponents are keen to come and play us speaks highly of the history of Tucuman rugby.”

“We breathe rugby.”

Former Puma Diego Fortuny will be key in a side with little professional experience. Captain will be Tomás Bartolini, hooker at last year’s champion, Dogos XV.