In the build up to the inaugural IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy 2008 in April, we will be featuring one of the eight participating nations each week, starting with the hosts Chile and their Under 20 captain Benjamín del Solar.

Second chances don’t come around too often, but Benjamín del Solar is determined that he and his Chile Under 20 team-mates will seize theirs with both hands when their country hosts the inaugural IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy from 15-27 April.

Del Solar turned 19 last July and so believed that his age grade days were behind him after captaining Chile to eighth place in Division B at the IRB Under 19 World Championship 2007 in Belfast and collected the Fair Play Award on their behalf.

However a restructuring of the IRB’s age grade tournament strategy has seen the Under 19 and Under 21 World Championships replaced by a 16-team Junior World Championship and eight-team Junior World Rugby Trophy at Under 20 level.

This meant that Del Solar, who also played in all of Chile’s matches in the 2006 IRB Under 19 World Championship in Dubai where they finished seventh, would still be eligible and therefore in line to again lead his country … only this time on home soil in the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy.

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“It seemed like a second chance [when I heard], most of the players from our squad in Belfast turned 19 in 2007, so we were out of age for another Under 19s, but now we were given another chance,” Del Solar told irb.com.

“The fact that it is in Chile is even better, because of the people here supporting us and also so that the people in Chile can see what Under 20 B division rugby is. Some people here think that B division is easy, but I can tell you they don’t know a thing.”

Chile were disappointed to finish only eighth of the 12 nations in Division B last year, but the IRB Under 19 World Championship nonetheless proved a valuable learning curve for Del Solar, both on and off the pitch.

“Belfast was good for our team, although we didn’t achieve the results we expected it was a fine experience for us. We learnt about top rugby at our age, about refereeing and the importance of anti-doping [education].

The ultimate dream

“As a player I learnt that motivation is an important factor in rugby and it has to remain as high as possible even though results don’t come ... To now be playing on home soil and to have a second chance is inspiring us even more.”

Another source of motivation for the teenage flanker cum number 8 is a dream to play for the full Chile national side in the back row alongside his older brother Sebastián, who at 24 has already played on the international stage for their country and has had some good advice for his sibling.

“To represent my country is the best. I love my country, and even though rugby is not the main sport here – soccer and tennis is – a lot of people are aware of this event. It is an honour for me and my family, especially to my older brother who plays for Chile’s adult team.

“He once told me that rugby is all about friends, and those friends made in the team will have a special bond. Rugby is a sport where you often protect your team-mates, it is a great sensation and through time I have had the luck to experience that.

Long term goal

“For the first time I played together with my brother for our club’s first team – Old Grangonians – in 2007. It was very special for both of us and of course it is a huge motivation to think that some day we could play together representing Chile.”

For now Del Solar’s target for the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy is simple – “to get first place” and so earn promotion to the IRB Junior World Championship in 2009 – but what will he be expecting from Chile’s three Pool A opponents in Romania, Namibia and the Cook Islands.

“We are expecting no truce. The Cook Islands will have improved their level from last year, Namibia defeated us in Dubai 2006 by a small margin [14-6] and Romania was in Division A in 2006 and they have a big rugby tradition.

“They are three hard matches and we will have to be at our best. It will be a big impact if we win and rugby here will earn more support and popularity. It is what this group is after, some of us having been together from Dubai 2006.”

The next feature will be with Chile Under 20 coach Rodrigo Boye on Wednesday.