Paraguay national rugby union team
Encyclopedia
The Paraguay national rugby team is the team governed by the Paraguayan Rugby Union that represents Paraguay
in the international rugby
competitions organized by the International Rugby Board
.
They compete regularly in the South American Rugby Championship
, but has yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup
.
Paraguay had the unenviable position on the 1 May 2002, of being beaten by Argentina
A by 152-0. In July of the same year, Japan
beat Taiwan
by an identical margin - 155-3, but unlike Paraguay, Taiwan scored some points in their match.
In the past Paraguay was regularly the 4th team in South American rugby, behind Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.
However recently, in the late 2000's, at both Junior and Senior Levels Brazil has come to compete and beat Paraguay.
The two teams are in a similar position. They easily beat the teams in the South American B Championship in 2008, Peru, Colombia, and Venezula, by 50 points or more.
However, in 2009 South American Championship both teams lost by large margins to Chile and Uruguay.
Recent Results
South American A Championship 2009 Montevideo, Uruguay
02 MAY 2009 Brazil 36 - 21 Paraguay
29 APR 2009 Chile 34 - 13 Paraguay
25 APR 2009 Uruguay 85 - 7 Paraguay
South American B Championship 2008 Asuncion, Paraguay
29 JUN 2008 Brazil 15 – 6 Paraguay
26 JUN 2008 Paraguay 60-7 Colombia
21 JUN 2008 Paraguay 71-0 Peru
19 JUN 2008 Paraguay 44-3 Venezuela
2008 was the first time Brazil beat Paraguay in almost twenty years, and in doing so, Brazil rose above Paraguay in the IRB World Rankings.
Paraguay is currently ranked 39th in the World in the IRB rankings.
Their main rival, Brazil, is currently ranked 29.
In Germany Juan Caba Cabañas (Heidelberg)
In Spain Wilians Portillo ( Alcobendas- Madrid), Javier Morinigo ( San Cugat - Barcelona , ex-Albertong de Sudafrica) Igor Huerta ( Universidad de Málaga ) and Jorge Ocampo (CEU Rugby Barcelona).
Diego Sotelo and Gonzalo Sanches play College Rugby Division 1 in the United States.
Alex Sharman is an Australian, Nationalised to play for Paraguay, who played for the University of Sydney (NSW, Australia), Falkirk (Scotland), Hinckley and Clifton Rugby Clubs (England), the St. Louis Ramblers (USA) and Rugby La Vila (Spain)
For various reasons these overseas players have not always been able to play for Paraguay.
But in 2009 Joel Orihuela and Juan Cabanas returned to South America for the South American Championships in Montevideo.
In 2010 Jose Otano, Diego Sotelo and Jatar Fernandez returned to Paraguay for the South American Championships in Santiago de Chile.
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
in the international rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
competitions organized by the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
.
They compete regularly in the South American Rugby Championship
South American Rugby Championship
The South American Rugby Championship is a two-tiered, annual rugby union competition that features teams from South America. The tournament began in 1951 and was hosted by Uruguay, and was won by Argentina...
, but has yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
.
Paraguay had the unenviable position on the 1 May 2002, of being beaten by Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
A by 152-0. In July of the same year, Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
beat Taiwan
Chinese Taipei national rugby union team
The Chinese Taipei national rugby union team represents the Republic of China in international rugby union. Chinese Taipei have yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup, but have attempted to qualify since Wales 1999.-History:...
by an identical margin - 155-3, but unlike Paraguay, Taiwan scored some points in their match.
In the past Paraguay was regularly the 4th team in South American rugby, behind Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.
However recently, in the late 2000's, at both Junior and Senior Levels Brazil has come to compete and beat Paraguay.
The two teams are in a similar position. They easily beat the teams in the South American B Championship in 2008, Peru, Colombia, and Venezula, by 50 points or more.
However, in 2009 South American Championship both teams lost by large margins to Chile and Uruguay.
Recent Results
South American A Championship 2009 Montevideo, Uruguay
02 MAY 2009 Brazil 36 - 21 Paraguay
29 APR 2009 Chile 34 - 13 Paraguay
25 APR 2009 Uruguay 85 - 7 Paraguay
South American B Championship 2008 Asuncion, Paraguay
29 JUN 2008 Brazil 15 – 6 Paraguay
26 JUN 2008 Paraguay 60-7 Colombia
21 JUN 2008 Paraguay 71-0 Peru
19 JUN 2008 Paraguay 44-3 Venezuela
2008 was the first time Brazil beat Paraguay in almost twenty years, and in doing so, Brazil rose above Paraguay in the IRB World Rankings.
Paraguay is currently ranked 39th in the World in the IRB rankings.
Their main rival, Brazil, is currently ranked 29.
Team
Paraguayan team for the South American Championships, Chile, 2010| Name | Nickname | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juanma Gavagan | Apto | Luque Rugby Club | Hooker |
| Alex Sharman | Sharminator | CURDA | Prop |
| Guillermo Gomez | Gordo Guille | CURDA | Prop/Hooker |
| Matias Carbonati | Mati | CURDA | Prop |
| Fernando Recalde | Polar | Santa Clara | Prop/Hooker |
| Qatar Fernandez | Qatar | Strasbourgo, Francia | Prop |
| Andrés Nasser | Andrea | CURDA | Lock |
| Felix | Felix | Luque Rugby | Lock |
| Juan Portillo | Juanchi | Luque Rugby | Lock/No.8 |
| Eduardo Pena | Chipita | CURDA | Lock/Back Row |
| Diego Ayala | Tono | Santa Clara | Back-Row |
| Ariel Lopez | Demonio | Luque Rugby | Back-Row |
| Jose Otano | Oche | Houilles Carrilies, Francia | Back-Row |
| Fabio Franco | Fabio | Santa Clara | Back-Row |
| Ale Feldman | Poopi | CURDA | Scrum Half/Wing |
| Daniel Bittar | Mandy | CURDA | Scrum-Half/Wing |
| Martin Pineda | Pipi | CURDA | Scrum-Half/Fly-Half |
| Diego Duarte | Duarte | Santa Clara | Fly-Half/Full-Back |
| Diego Sotelo | Shaggy | College, EEUU | Fly-Half/Centre |
| Francisco Sarubbi | Keke o Cookie | UAA | Centre |
| Horacio Ocampos | Hori | CURDA | Centre |
| Gerard Cuttier | Cuti | CURDA | Centre/Fullback |
| Sergio Alvarenga | Alvarenga | Luque Rugby | Wing |
| Diego Argana | Mandioca | CURDA | Wing |
| Rodrigo Llamosas | Rodi | San Jose | Fullback/Wing |
| Pedro Heydel | Perro | San Jose | Fullback/Wing |
Paraguayans Playing Abroad
Various Paraguayans are playing overseas, amongst them Cesar Meilike, Jatar Fernandez (Strasbourg ), José Otaño, Joel Orihuela (US CENAC) Federal 2 of the French League and Freddy Lares, (Houilles Carrilies ) Federal 3 of the French League.In Germany Juan Caba Cabañas (Heidelberg)
In Spain Wilians Portillo ( Alcobendas- Madrid), Javier Morinigo ( San Cugat - Barcelona , ex-Albertong de Sudafrica) Igor Huerta ( Universidad de Málaga ) and Jorge Ocampo (CEU Rugby Barcelona).
Diego Sotelo and Gonzalo Sanches play College Rugby Division 1 in the United States.
Alex Sharman is an Australian, Nationalised to play for Paraguay, who played for the University of Sydney (NSW, Australia), Falkirk (Scotland), Hinckley and Clifton Rugby Clubs (England), the St. Louis Ramblers (USA) and Rugby La Vila (Spain)
For various reasons these overseas players have not always been able to play for Paraguay.
But in 2009 Joel Orihuela and Juan Cabanas returned to South America for the South American Championships in Montevideo.
In 2010 Jose Otano, Diego Sotelo and Jatar Fernandez returned to Paraguay for the South American Championships in Santiago de Chile.