Americas Rugby Championship

Last updated
Americas Rugby Championship
Current season, competition or edition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2019 Americas Rugby Championship
AmericasRugbyChampionship.png
Sport Rugby union
Founded2009;14 years ago (2009)
(reinaugurated 2016;7 years ago (2016))
No. of teams6
CountryFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina XV
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay
Most recent
champion(s)		Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina XV
(6th title)
Most titlesFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina XV
(6 titles)

The Americas Rugby Championship, often informally called the Americas' Six Nations, was an annual international rugby tournament between six North and South American nations: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the United States and Uruguay. [1] Originally competed by various interlocking combinations of club, second-tier national and top national sides, the current (since 2016) international tournament has the top national sides competing (though Argentina, to date, sends its second-tier team). The current format provides these top national teams with additional test matches to be counted in the World Rugby Rankings.

Contents

The original Americas Rugby Championship (organised by World Rugby) was inaugurated in 2009, when varying combinations of national, regional and development teams from North and South America competed for the title. In 2015, it was announced that from 2016, the competition would re-form under the guidance of the Americas Rugby Association and the respective unions, to provide the six national sides with additional rankings tests annually. The updated format is based on the structure of the European Six Nations Championship, coinciding with each other in February and March of each year. [2] Prior to this, the last competitive tournament to be held across the Sudamérica–RAN region had been the PARA Pan American Championship, which had ceased after its 2003 edition. World Rugby has granted all matches with test match status, with caps awarded for every match, though matches against the Argentina XV (rather than the top Argentina national squad) will not affect the World Rugby Rankings. [3]

History

First conception

Originally formed in 2009 by World Rugby (then known as the International Rugby Board) to replace the North America 4 Series, was created to give the newly formed Canadian regions more competitive matches against strong opposition from the second teams of the United States and Argentina. The winner of the inaugural Canadian Rugby Championship, BC Bears, went on to compete on the international stage, playing the winner of the international semi-final match between USA Select XV and Argentina Jaguars. The Argentina Jaguars defeated the BC Bears 35–11 in the final to capture the tournament's first title. [4]

Second and third editions

In 2010, the tournament was cut from 6 to 4 teams, scrapping the Canadian Division part of the tournament to create a solely international based tournament for development sides. The USA Select XV and Argentina Jaguars were joined by the second team from Tonga, and a Canada Selects side made up of the top players in the 2010 CRC season. [5] Each team played each other once in a round-robin format, gaining 4 points for a win, with the team on the most points at the end winning the title. [6]

The tournament returned in 2012, having not taken place in 2011 due to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The tournament kept the same format as 2010, however the national side of Uruguay joined the tournament replacing Tonga A, though in 2014, Uruguay sent their second team Charrúas XV. Argentina Jaguars went on to win every tournament between 2012 and 2014.

Current conception

The tournament was not held in 2015 because of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In 2016, the tournament was relaunched and expanded to six teams with the inclusion of Brazil and Chile. Unlike the previous single-site tournament featuring lesser sides, the new tournament will be held in February and March, concurrently with the European Six Nations Championship. Like the European championship, teams will play both home and away, whereas players from European clubs will be available. [7]

Americas Rugby Challenge

A second competition, the Americas Rugby Challenge or ARCh was confirmed in August 2018, to be played in August and September. The inaugural competition took place at the Estadio Cincuentenario in Medellín, Colombia from August 24 to September 01. [8]

The new competition brought together Rugby Americas North (RAN) and Sudamérica Rugby, following the example of the Americas Rugby Championship, The Americas Rugby Challenge is officially the ‘B’ competition for the ARC.

As with the Americas Rugby Championship, the new Americas Rugby Challenge saw all competing countries playing against each other. The first edition of the competition was a Four Nations tournament with Rugby Americas North and Sudamérica Rugby both having two representatives each. [9]

The host nation of Colombia were joined by Sudamérica Rugby rivals Paraguay. Guyana and Mexico represented Rugby Americas North. [8]

Format

Played annually, the format of the Championship is simple: each team plays every other team once in a round-robin format, making for a total of 15 matches played across the tournament. For each win, a team picks up 4 points and 2 for a draw. The team with the most points at the end wins the title. Unlike previous ARC, overseas based players are available for selection, while Argentina will mainly only select provincial and domestic players that are not part of their Super Rugby Jaguares side.

Teams

Current teams

Past teams

Previous winners

YearTeamsChampionsGames
played		Games
won		Games
drawn		Games
lost		Points
for		Points
against		Points
difference		Bonus
points		Table
points
2009 6Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars 22009221+71N/A
2010 4Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars 330012246+76214
2012 4Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars 33008822+66113
2013 4Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars 33008423+61214
2014 4Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars 330011132+79315
2016 6Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina XV 541020799+108422
2017 6Flag of the United States.svg  United States 541021596+119422
2018 6Flag of the United States.svg  United States 550019768+129424
2019 6Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina XV 550025860+198525
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

Updated to after the 2019 edition

Past results

First Conception
SeasonStadiumLocationChampionScoreRunner-up
2009 Fletcher's Fields Markham, Ontario, Canada Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars 35–11 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg BC Bears
2010 Estadio Olímpico Chateau Carreras Córdoba, Argentina Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars Round RobinFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada A
2012 Westhills Stadium Langford, British Columbia, Canada Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars Round RobinFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada A
2013 Westhills Stadium Langford, British Columbia, Canada Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars Round RobinFlag of the United States.svg  USA Selects
2014 Westhills Stadium Langford, British Columbia, Canada Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars Round RobinFlag of the United States.svg  USA Selects
Second Conception
SeasonStadiumLocationChampionScoreRunner-up
2016 Various (3/2 home games, 2/3 away games)Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars Round RobinFlag of the United States.svg  United States
2017 Various (3/2 home games, 2/3 away games)Flag of the United States.svg  United States Round RobinFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars
2018 Various (3/2 home games, 2/3 away games)Flag of the United States.svg  United States Round RobinFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars
2019 Various (3/2 home games, 2/3 away games)Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Jaguars Round RobinFlag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

All-time results table

NationAppear­ancesGamesWinsDrawsLossesBest result
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina XV (Jaguars) 9343121Champions: (7) 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 7261415Runner-up: 2019
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4201424Champions: 2017, 2018
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 4207133rd place: 2016
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 4206144th place: 2017, 2019
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 4201196th place: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Flag of the United States.svg  USA Selects 514410Runner-up: 2013, 2014
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada A (Selects) 41266Runner-up: 2010 & 2012
Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga A 13034th place: 2010
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg BC Bears 1541Runner-up: 2009
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ontario Blues 15233rd place: 2009
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Prairie Wolf Pack 13126th place: 2009
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg The Rock 13125th place: 2009

Updated to after 2019 Americas Rugby Championship

Results by nation

NationYears representedChampionsRunner-up
Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina 972
Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil 400
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada 903
Flag of Chile.svg Chile 400
Flag of Tonga.svg Tonga 100
Flag of the United States.svg United States 923
Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay 701

Updated to after 2019 Americas Rugby Championship

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References

  1. ↑ "Americas Six Nations to Start in February - Americas Rugby News". Americas Rugby News. September 4, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Inaugural Americas Rugby Championship schedule released, U.S. venues announced". USA Rugby. Archived from the original on 2016-01-05. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  3. ↑ Wins would serve Uruguay and Chile well in Americas Rugby Championship
  4. ↑ JAGUARS WIN INAUGURAL ARC TITLE
  5. ↑ ARC SET TO KICK-OFF TUESDAY NIGHT IN ARGENTINA
  6. ↑ 2010 ARC A SUCCESS AHEAD OF FINAL DAY
  7. ↑ Rugby World’s guide to the Americas Rugby Championship
  8. 1 2 Historic Americas Rugby Challenge Confirmed for August and September, from americasrugbynews.com
  9. ↑ World Rugby announces ARCh teams and logo
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