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Uruguay
Uruguay play in the World Rugby Nations Cup and the Rugby World Cup. They’re one of the finest teams in the Americas.
Uruguay News
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Latest
Eddie Jones on the ‘fantastic opportunity’ Rugby World Cup 2027 presents
5
13 days ago
TOP 14
Analysis
Arrivals and exits: A country-by-country look at the Top 14's new signings
10
15 days ago
World Ranking
Uruguay are currently 18th in the World Rugby Rankings. Their highest ever ranking was 14th in June 2005.
Ranking Over Time
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2003
2015
2026
Uruguay Matches
Sat 18 Jul, 2026
Fri 6 Nov, 2026
Fri 13 Nov, 2026
Uruguay Rugby Team Players
Uruguay Forwards
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Uruguay Backs
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Uruguay Rugby Team
The Uruguay rugby team, who are nicknamed Los Teros by fans, are one of the finest rugby union sides from the Americas. In 1981, they shot to fame when they won the South America Rugby Championship. The win was so unexpected because, between 1951 and 2014, Argentina only failed to win the competition once.
It's thought that rugby union was played in Uruguay as far back as 1865 when British immigrants introduced the game to locals. However, the Uruguay rugby team wasn't officially formed until 1948, when the team made their international debut.
In the unofficial South American Rugby Championship that year, Uruguay finished an impressive second. Ever since, the Uruguay rugby team have gained a proud reputation. They've established themselves as a side that can regularly beat tier-two nations and they've even gained notable results against teams as strong as the USA, Japan and Georgia.
Around the turn of the millennium, the Uruguay rugby team started to gain prominence. They qualified for the 1999 Rugby World Cup and came close to beating several established sides. However, the team then began to stagnate. Although they once again qualified for the Rugby World Cup in 2003, they failed to qualify for the 2007 and 2011 editions.
However, post-2010, the Uruguay rugby side are on an upward trajectory once again. They've qualified for the 2015 and 2019 editions of the Rugby World Cup and they've won the top division of the South American Rugby Championship four times (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2025). From 2026, they’ll also compete in the newly formed World Rugby Nations Cup.
Historically, Uruguay have struggled to produce household names. However, several notable players have featured in Uruguay rugby fixtures. For example, lock Rodrigo Capo Ortega played more than 200 games for Castres, while prop Pablo Lemoine played almost 100 times for Stade Francais before he returned to coach the national side in 2012.
FAQs
When was the Uruguay rugby team founded?
The Uruguay rugby team played in their first international fixture in 1948. They faced Chile in Buenos Aires, Argentina and lost 21-3.
What is the Uruguay rugby team’s biggest win?
Uruguay’s biggest win came back in 2011, when they defeated Paraguay 102-6 in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina.
What is the Uruguay rugby team’s biggest defeat?
Uruguay suffered their biggest defeat in 2005, when they were beaten 134-3 by the Springboks in East London, South Africa.
Have Uruguay ever appeared at the Rugby World Cup?
Yes, Uruguay have appeared at five editions of the Rugby World Cup: 1999, 2003, 2015, 2019 and 2023. On all five occasions, they exited the competition at the pool stage.
Who is Uruguay's record appearance maker?
Uruguay’s record appearance-maker is Diego Magno. He made 107 appearances for his country between 2008 and 2024.
Who has scored the most tries for Uruguay?
Diego Ormaechea has scored the most tries for Uruguay. He scored 33 tries in 54 matches between 1979 and 1999.
Who has scored the most points for Uruguay?
Felipe Berchesi has scored the most points for Uruguay. The talented fly-half scored 381 tries in 49 matches between 2011 and 2023.
