Rugby World Cup 2015 qualifying resumes in South America this weekend with the beginning of the Confederación Sudamericana de Rugby (CONSUR) South American Championship.
The best-placed of Brazil, Chile and Uruguay, who are joined by the already qualified Argentina in four-team round robin Championship, will progress to play the loser of the Canada v USA play-off with the winner claiming the Americas 2 berth and a place alongside France, Ireland and Italy in Pool D at England 2015.
Rugby World Cup 1999 and 2003 participants Uruguay, currently ranked 21st in the IRB World Rankings, enter the Championship as favourites, but Chile (25th) and Brazil (33rd) are making significant strides on the world stage.
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The Championship comes at an exceptionally exciting time for Rugby in South America. In 2012 Argentina joined The Rugby Championship, reaffirming their status as one of the world’s premier Rugby nations, while participation has grown by 22 per cent over the past four years as the region counts down to Rio de Janeiro hosting the 2016 Olympic Games.
Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “South America has one of the fastest growing participation rates in world Rugby and with the region set to host the 2013 World Games in Cali and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio these are exciting times for the sport.”
“The IRB, working in partnership with CONSUR, is committed to the ongoing development of Rugby throughout the region. Between 2009 and 2012 we invested more than £9 million in development, high performance and tournament programmes to increase the competitiveness of international Rugby.”
“We are currently running successful Get into Rugby programmes in Brazil, Chile and Colombia to ensure that more men, women and children can have access to the sport.”
“I believe that we are already seeing the fruits of that investment and I am sure that the South America Championship will be the most compelling and competitive to date.”
IRB General Manager for Development Morgan Buckley added: “There is very strong progress being made by Unions in South America to grow Rugby with more than 200,000 playing the Game. We are experiencing growth in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay and are working closely with these Unions to strengthen the Game on and off the pitch. By the end of 2013 we will have started Get Into Rugby programmes in most South American Unions to drive growth across all ages and abilities.”
Match Schedule
Saturday 27 April
Chile v Brazil – Temuco (RWC 2015 qualifier)
Uruguay v Argentina – Montevideo
Wednesday 1 May
Chile v Argentina – Montevideo
Uruguay v Argentina – Montevideo (RWC 2015 qualifier)
Saturday 4 May
Argentina v Brazil – Montevideo
Uruguay v Chile – Montevideo (RWC 2015 qualifier)
