The historic Americas Rugby Challenge has been confirmed for August and September. The inaugural competition will take place at the Estadio Cincuentenario in Medellín, Colombia from August 24 to September 01.

The new competition brings together Rugby Americas North (RAN) and Sudamérica Rugby. It does so following the example of the Americas Rugby Championship (ARC), a competition to have been highly successful in its first three years. The Americas Rugby Challenge is officially the ‘B’ competition for the ARC.

As is the case of the Americas Rugby Championship, the new Americas Rugby Challenge will see all countries playing against each other. The first edition of the competition will be a Four Nations tournament with Rugby Americas North and Sudamérica Rugby both having two representatives each.

The host nation of Colombia is to be joined by Sudamérica Rugby rivals Paraguay. Guyana and Mexico will represent Rugby Americas North.

In playing each-other once each for a total of three matches per country the winner is to be determined by competition points.

It is a competition which will bring new found importance to the Americas Rankings. At present Paraguay is 7th and holds a very narrow advantage over Colombia in 8th. Guyana is ranked 9th while Mexico is 12th. Between Guyana and Mexico are Trinidad & Tobago and the Cayman Islands.

The inclusion of the four teams involves more than rankings. The official announcement from Rugby Americas North pointed out that Guyana earned the right to play by winning the 2017 RAN Senior Men’s Championship. Mexico, meanwhile, has been invited based on its market potential.

Beginning in 2019 the participants will be those who from RAN who qualify first and second in RAN qualification.

The match schedule for the Americas Rugby Challenge is yet to be confirmed. Before then both RAN and Sudamérica Rugby are to have their respective regional competitions. 2018 sees a new format being used by Sudamérica Rugby with Colombia and Paraguay being significant benefactors.

The new Sudamérica 6 Naciones A (South American 6 Nations A) will have an east and a west conference. It is to be played in May. In addition there are to be two lower divisions. For further details click here.