The Sudamérica XV has a great tradition, having famously beaten the Springboks in Bloemfontein in the 1980s, and over the next two weekends the team will play against Chile and Paraguay.

Sudamérica Rugby, founded in 1988, was not involved in the three tours a Sudamérica XV did to South Africa in 1980, 1982 and 1984 – with the 21-12 win in 1982 in which every point came from World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Hugo Porta as the biggest highlight. Back then, with representation from other national teams, the test squads were solely selected from Argentina.

Since, the team has been scarcely used, with England playing a regionally selected team in 2013, as well as a handful of games played in recent years.

With Chile playing against the Maori All Blacks on 17 November,  Sudamérica Rugby have taken the opportunity to form a Sudamérica XV to face Los Condores and Paraguay to give the two nations much-needed competition. 

Due to a busy rugby calendar, the team to play on Saturday, with former Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade at the helm, will only include players from Argentina and Uruguay. Colombia players will be added for the second week after the conclusion of their domestic season this weekend.

Hourcade, who leads the High Performance Unit in Sudamérica Rugby, will work alongside assistant coaches who have been selected from a recent coaching course in Montevideo.

“It is a great opportunity to give some fringe players much-needed competition and experience to young coaches,” said Hourcade. “We must thank World Rugby for facilitating funds to hold these two games.”

Former internationals Joaquín Pastore (Uruguay) and Eusebio Guiñazú (Argentina) will be on hand for the first game, to be played at Estadio La Pintana, to be replaced by Guillermo Storace (Uruguay) and Miguel Castelli (Argentina), for the game at San José Rugby Club, in Asunción.

The squad is captained by hooker Diego Fortuny and spearheaded by fellow Puma Enrique Pieretto, who has only recently recovered from a long-term knee injury.

It also includes Santiago Civetta, who led Uruguay at the World Rugby U20 Trophy in Romania earlier this year with every player selected having been a member of a Uruguayan or Argentinian national team at some level.

Sudamérica XV squad

Forwards: Rodrigo Martínez (Los Tordos, Argentina), Joaquín Jaunsolo (Los Cuervos, Uruguay), Lucas Favre (Lomas Athletic, Argentina), Enrique Pieretto (Córdoba Athletic, Argentina), Diego Fortuny (Universitario de Salta, Argentina), Leonel Oviedo (Córdoba Athletic, Argentina), Diego Galetto (Urú Curé, Argentina), Franco Molina (Jockey Club de Córdoba, Argentina), Diego Ayala Etchart (Montevideo Cricket Club, Uruguay), Juan Manuel Rodríguez (Trébol de Paysandú, Uruguay), Nicolás Sbrocco (Universitario de Tucumán, Argentina), Santiago Civetta (Old Boys, Uruguay), Gonzalo Soto (Carrasco Polo, Uruguay).

Backs: Manuel Nogues (Atlético del Rosario, Argentina), Ignacio Inchauspe (Olivos, Argentina), Domingo Miotti (Tucumán Lawn Tennis, Argentina), Andrés de León (Old Christians, Uruguay), Marcos Brovetto Assanelli (Montevideo Cricket Club, Uruguay), Facundo Ferrario (Jockey Club de Rosario, Argentina), Manuel Bustinduy (Hurling, Argentina), Tomás MacGaw (San Albano, Argentina)
Fullbacks: Martín Elías (Atlético del Rosario, Argentina), Mateo Viñals (Carrasco Polo Club, Uruguay).

Head coach: Daniel Hourcade
Assistant coaches: Emiliano Bergamaschi, Joaquín Pastore, Eusebio Guiñazú
Manager: Fernando del Castillo