Americas Rugby Championship 2018

The 2018 Americas Rugby Championship kicks off this Saturday as Canada hosts Uruguay in Vancouver in the first match of the ARC 2018 series. The match doubles as the first leg of the Rugby World Cup 2019 Americas 2 qualifier, with the second match on February 3 in Montevideo, Uruguay. The Americas 2 qualifier will be in Pool D alongside Australia, Wales, Georgia and Fiji at the RWC2019 in Japan.

Last year’s ARC champion, USA Rugby, will look to defend their title. They will meet the 2016 champion Argentina XV in Los Angeles on February 3. Brazil and Chile are the other national teams in the competition and World Rugby Rankings will be at stake.

Americas Rugby Championship 2018 Schedule

First Round
Saturday, January 27 Canada v Uruguay, at BC Place, Vancouver. Kick-off: 17.10 (Pacific Time)
Saturday, February 3 USA v Argentina XV, at StubHub Center, Carson. Kick-off: 17.10 (PT)
Saturday, February 3 Chile v Brazil, at Estadio La Pintana, Santiago. Kick-off: 15.10

Second Round
Friday, February 9 Brazil v Uruguay, at Pacaembú Stadium, Sao Paulo. Kick-off: 20.10
Saturday, February 10 Argentina XV v Chile, at Estadio Agustín Pichot, Ushuaia. Kick-off: 17.40
Saturday, February 10 USA v Canada, at Papa Murphy’s Park, Sacramento. Kick-off: 15.10

Third Round
Saturday, February 17 Canada v Brazil, at Westhills Stadium, Langford. Kick-off: 12.30 (PT)
Saturday, February 17 USA v Chile, at Titan Stadium, Fullerton. Kick-off: 15 (PT)
Saturday, February 17 Uruguay v Argentina XV, at Estadio Domingo Burgueño, Maldonado. Kick-off: 21.15

Fourth Round
Saturday, February 24 Brazil v USA, at Estadio Martins Pereira, Sao José dos Campos, Kick-off: 18.10
Saturday, February 24 Chile v Uruguay, at Estadio La Pintana, Santiago. Kick-off: 3 pm
Saturday, February 24 Argentina XV v Canada, at Estadio 23 de Agosto, Jujuy. Kick-off: 17.40

Fifth Round
Saturday, March 3 Chile v Canada, at Estadio La Pintana, Santiago. Kick-off: 13.10
Saturday, March 3 Uruguay v USA, at Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo. Kick-off: 15.40
Saturday, March 3 Brazil v Argentina XV, at Estadio Martins Pereira, Sao José dos Campos, Kick-off: 18.10

The USA Rugby Men’s Eagles

The Eagles will open the Americas Rugby Championship against Argentina XV on February 3 at 5 pm PT at the StubHub Center, Carson, California. The undercard was supposed to be the first Super Rugby regular season match between the Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers, however, due to an inability for contractual flight accommodations being available, UCLA and Arizona will play a D1A Rugby match prior to the Eagles and Argentina XV instead. Super Rugby fans in the United States will need to wait for a match until at least next year, as at least six months is needed to plan for flights.

In addition to the home match Feb. 3, the Eagles will play Feb. 10 against Canada at 3 pm PT at Papa Murphy’s Park in Sacramento on Feb. 10 and against Chile at 2 pm PT at Titan Stadium at Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 17. The matches will be live on The Rugby Channel.

Of the six teams, only Argentina XV is not a national team. The World ranking for the teams is USA at 17th, Uruguay 18, Canada 21, Chile 24 and Brazil 28.

Gary Gold, the head coach of the Eagles, will be at the helm for his first USA match on Feb. 3. “The StubHub Center in Los Angeles will host the two fixtures as part of USA Rugby’s long-term strategy in the region, leading to the Summer Olympics in 2028.”

The USA Forwards: Titi Lamositele (Saracens, UK), Angus MacLellan (Chicago Lions), Huluholo Mo’ungaloa (Life West), Anthony Purpura (Old Blue), Paddy Ryan (Austin Elite), Dino Waldren (London Scottish, UK), Chance Wenglewski (Lindenwood), Dylan Fawsitt (Old Blue), James Hilterbrand (Sydney Rays, AU), Peter Malcolm (Austin Elite), Joe Taufete’e (Worcester Warriors, UK), Nate Brakeley (NYAC), Nick Civetta (Newcastle Falcons, UK), Brendan Daly (SFGG), Matt Jensen (Utah Warriors), Ben Landry (Glendale Raptors), Malon Al-Jiboori (USA 7s), Cam Dolan (Old Blue), Hanco Germishuys (Austin Elite), Tony Lamborn (Hawke’s Bay, NZ), Aladdin Schirmer (Seattle Seawolves), Psalm Wooching (Seattle Saracens)

USA Backs: Nate Augspurger (Old Blue), Shaun Davies (Glendale Raptors), Ruben de Haas (Free State, SA), Devereaux Ferris (Life West), Ben Cima (Rocky Gorge), Will Hooley (Bedford Blues, UK), Will Magie (Glendale Raptors), Dylan Audsley (San Diego Legion), Marcel Brache (Perth Spirit, AU), Bryce Campbell (Glendale Raptors), Paul Lasike (Utah Warriors), Alex Elkins (USA 7s), Ryan Matyas (San Diego Legion), Peni Tagive (USA 7s), Josh Whippy (Utah Warriors), Blaine Scully (Cardiff Blues, UK), Mike Te’o (San Diego Legion)

Canada

Tyler Ardron (Chiefs/Ontario Blues), Ray Barkwill (Seattle Seawolves/Ontario Blues), Brett Beukeboom (Cornish Pirates/Ontario Blues), Nick Blevins (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack), Connor Braid (James Bay AA/BC Bears), Hubert Buydens – (New Orleans Gold/Prairie Wolf Pack), Luke Campbell (James Bay AA/BC Bears), Admir Cejvanovic (Burnaby Lake RFC/BC Bears), Guiseppe du Toit (UVIC Vikes/BC Bears), Andrew Ferguson (Oakville Crusaders/Ontario Blues), Jeff Hassler (Ospreys/Prairie Wolf Pack), Matt Heaton (Darlington Mowden Park/Atlantic Rock), Jake Ilnicki (Newcastle Falcons/BC Bears), Cole Keith (James Bay AA/Atlantic Rock), Martial Lagain (Sherbrooke Abenakis/Atlantic Rock), Josh Larsen (Northland), Ben LeSage  (UBC Thunderbirds/Prairie Wolf Pack), Kainoa Lloyd (Mississauga Blues/Ontario Blues), Anthony Luca (Burnaby Lake RFC/BC Bears), Phil Mack (Seattle Seawolves/BC Bears), Gordon McRorie (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack), Evan Olmstead (Newcastle Falcons/Prairie Wolf Pack) , Patrick Parfrey (Swilers RFC/Atlantic Rock), Taylor Paris (Castres/Ontario Blues), Benoit Piffero (Blagnac Sporting Club/Atlantic Rock), Lucas Rumball (Balmy Beach RFC/Ontario Blues), Djustice Sears-Duru (Ealing Trailfinders/Ontario Blues),  Brock Staller (Seattle Seawolves/BC Bears), Matt Tierney (Section Paloise/Ontario Blues), DTH van der Merwe (Newcastle Falcons)

Argentina XV

Argentina XV: Gaspar Baldunciel (Hooker), Cristian Bartoloni  (prop), Lautaro Bavaro (Backrow), Franco Brarda (prop), Rodrigo Bruni (backrow), Juan Cappiello (center), Franco Cuaranta (wing), Bruno Devoto (center), Julián Domínguez (wing), Francisco Ferronato (prop), Francisco Gorrisen (backrow), Juan Cruz Guillemaín (lock), Fernando Luna (wing), Santiago Medrano (prop), Santiago Montagner (backrow), Pedro Ortega (lock), Mariano Romanini (lock), Segundo Tuculet (center), Lautaro Bazán Vélez (scrum-half), Joaquín Díaz Bonilla (fly-half), Martín Elías (fullback), Felipe Ezcurra (scrum-half), Facundo Gigena (prop), Ignacio Larrague (lock), Santiago Mare (center), Santiago Portillo (backrow), Franco Sábato (wing), Roberto Tejerizo (prop)

Brazil

Chile