The inaugural 6 Naciones Sudamericano gets underway this weekend with Colombia experiencing life at the top level of international rugby in the region for the first time.

Los Tucanes and Paraguay have been promoted from the B Championship to join Argentina XV, Chile, Uruguay XV and Brazil in the rebranded competition which now features six teams instead of four.

Colombia will host their first game at Medellín’s Estadio Cincuentenario when they take on Uruguay XV on Saturday, while Paraguay entertain Argentina XV and Brazil take on Chile in Sao Paulo in the other first round fixtures.

“We modified the (old) four-team tournament after a workshop last year involving representatives of every union,” explained Sudamérica Rugby Secretary Victor Luaces. “The benefit is that we will be giving six national teams development opportunities in better competitions.”

Cross-conference format

Using a similar format to the World Rugby Nations Cup, teams are divided into two conferences. Argentina XV, Chile and Colombia are in Conference West, while Uruguay XV, Brazil and Paraguay make up the East Conference.

Teams in each conference will play against each of the teams in the other conference with the champion decided on overall tournament points accrued.

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Already qualified for Rugby World Cup 2019, both the Argentina and Uruguay unions have been allowed to send their XV sides, but the other four competing nations will be playing for crucial World Rugby Rankings points when up against one another.

Brazil’s opening match against Chile at Estádio do Canindé in São Paulo could well decide the third best South American team for the rest of the season as Os Tupis will go into the match ranked just one place higher than their opponents in 27th. Paraguay and Colombia, who meet in round two, are also separated by one place, in 39th and 40th.

Chile have named a strong side including a quartet of overseas professionals for their opener against Brazil. Bayonne second-row Pablo Huete returns after an 11-month absence and is joined in the team by Barcelona centre Francisco de la Fuente and two Portugal-based forwards in prop Lucas Bordigoni and back-row Anton Petrowitsch.

Huge challenge

Colombia have been preparing since the start of the year for their promotion to the highest level and coach David Jaramillo cannot wait to see how his side copes among the elite nations.

“It is a huge challenge for us to play a Uruguayan team for the first time and we are delighted to be playing against the best,” he said. “Being involved in this new tournament is a great honour for us and has certainly moved our rugby community who are very keen to see how we perform against the best.”

The Felipe Contepomi-coached Argentina XV will head to Asunción to play against Paraguay on Saturday with a squad brimming with new talent. They will be led by scrum-half Tomás Cubelli, who continues his recovery from a career-threatening injury last year and keen to kick-start his 63-cap international career.

In his first squad, World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Contepomi has selected four players from last year’s World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia in Nicolás Walker, Nahuel Milán, José Luis González, and Facundo Ferrario, as well as seven who are pushing for a place in the 2018 edition which kicks off in France on 30 May.

The competition will see a total of nine matches played over 15 days, from 5-20 May.

With an expanded top international division and plans for a professional South America club league as early as next year, these are exciting times for the Sudamérica Rugby region.