The Americas Rugby Championship’s six participating nations will have a busy test window in November when they play a combined 17 internationals in the continent, Europe and Asia.

After a successful inaugural tournament earlier this year, the national teams of Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil (from Sudamérica Rugby) and United States and Canada (representing Rugby Americas North), will continue to showcase the growth they are enjoying ahead of Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan. 

With regards to the game’s showpiece event, only Argentina have already confirmed their place at Japan 2019. The importance of high-level competition is thus crucial allowing teams to reach the qualifying rounds at their peak. The Americas region has two places, while a third team from the continent will compete in the repechage tournament to decide the final team for RWC 2019.

First of 17 tests

The international window will open in Chicago, with an unforgettable double-header weekend. On 4 November at Toyota Park, the USA Eagles will play the Maori All Blacks. A day later the All Blacks will again play at the famous Soldier Field, this time against Ireland. Earlier that same day, at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium in Tokyo, Los Pumas will return to Japan for the first time since 1998 to take on the Brave Blossoms.
 
The second Saturday in November will have five of the six teams in action. Argentina will be in Cardiff to play Wales at the Principality Stadium and Canada will face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium. USA will travel to Bucharest to meet Romania, while Uruguay will play their first test against Germany in Frankfurt. A day later Chile will host, in an historic series, Korea in Santiago.

Brazil will join the test window on 19 November in their first-ever European tour. They will play Germany at the Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark in Heidelberg, the first of two tests over consecutive weekends. 

In a weekend in which the six American sides will be involved on the test stage, Argentina will tackle Scotland at Murrayfield, USA will meet with Tonga at the Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastián and, also in Spain, Uruguay will play against Los Leones. At the Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest, Canada will play Romania while Chile will finish the season with the second test against Korea.

Activity will be reduced to four Americas Rugby Championship teams in the final weekend of November as Canada travel to Grenoble to tackle Samoa on Friday 25 in what will be their last test before the start of next year’s competition.

Clear upward pathway

Los Teros will return to a test venue they’ve played a few times over the years in Romania, while Brazil will finish their series against Germany at the Bruno-Plache-Stadium in Leipzig and Argentina will bring the curtain down on a 13-test season against England at Twickenham.
The final test of the year featuring teams from the Americas region will be on 1 December when Brazil travel to Portugal to play against Os Lobos.

“America is growing and the busy November window shows that our teams are on a clear upward pathway. Coaches and players now have more competition and with this the standard will continue to grow,” said Agustín Pichot, World Rugby Vice-Chairman and Chairman of Americas Rugby.

“The inaugural Americas Rugby Championship was clear proof of the potential of these six teams. After the experience gained in all of 2016, I can only imagine next year’s Americas Rugby Championship being bigger and much better.”

With regards to the appeal of the Americas Rugby Championship, Greg Peters, Chairman of the Advisory Board, from the Unión Argentina de Rugby, added: “There is clear interest from broadcasters and we are close to finalising the details of what will be a great tournament. 

Having already announced the match schedule has given unions and teams a clear goal. November will be important for coaches to develop their players. As expected, the ARC will grow exponentially from what was already a very successful inaugural tournament.”

The Americas Rugby Championship 2017 will get underway on 4 February with Argentina XV beginning the defence of their title away to Canada, Brazil hosting Chile and Uruguay travelling to face USA. The tournament, played over five consecutive weekends, will conclude on 4 March.