The Colombian Rugby Union are anticipating a full-house at the Estadio Cincuentenario when the country’s national rugby team, Los Tucanes, take on Mexico in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup 2019 Americas repechage in Medellin.
There has been significant local media interest in the game between the champions of Sudamérica Rugby’s B Championship and Rugby Americas North, the two regions that make up Americas Rugby, and both main stands, each housing 1,500 spectators, are on course to be sold out.
As the highest-ranked of the two nations, Colombia (42) have been granted home advantage over Mexico (49) as the sides battle it out for the right to play Paraguay, in Asunción, on 19 November.
The winner of that match will then play in next year’s Sudamericano A, which also forms part of the qualification process for Japan 2019.
SEA OF COLOUR
“Playing at home will be important and it should put pressure on Mexico … that everything is yellow, blue and red in a big ground will certainly push us,” said Los Tucanes’ captain and number eight Sebastián Mejía Gil.
Saturday’s game is Colombia’s first international at home for over two years, and to cater for the big demand for tickets the game has been switched to the 4,500 capacity Estadio Cincuentenario.
The grass pitch will be alien to many of Colombia’s players who are accustomed to playing their domestic rugby on an artificial surface, and days of heavy rain in the build-up to the match has left the surface heavy underfoot.
“It will be different not playing in our own ground, but in international tournaments we always play on grass. I don’t think it will be an issue; we have trained well at the Cincuentenario over the last few days,” said Mejía Gil.
GROWING CONFIDENCE
Colombia go into the match full of confidence after recent wins over Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela saw them complete a hat-trick of Sudamerica B titles.
“Winning the Sudamericano was great for motivation and it pushes us to continue working hard. It gave us confidence in what we are doing. Colombian rugby is growing with a good game plan,” said Mejía Gil.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s game, 27-year-old Mejía Gil said: “We know that they're a good team with good players. It won’t be easy but we want to impose our tactical identity on them. We have been working on strategy, and it should be a good game.”
This is the third meeting between the sides. The first game was also in Medellin, in 1996, when rugby was in its infancy in both countries, and ended in a 10-all draw. Eighteen years later, in December 2014, they faced each again, this time in Mexico City, with Colombia winning 62-24.
Given their higher ranking, home advantage and recent history, Colombia start as favourites to continue on the journey to Japan. However, Mejía Gil refuses to look too far ahead.
“The first goal is Mexico and we can’t underestimate them as they will be very tough. If we can beat them, the following goal is Paraguay and we will aim for a place in the Sudamericano A to test ourselves with the best in the region. To play at that level, we will need to grow in our structures and our game.”