Cafeteros Pro

Cafeteros Pro is a professional rugby union team based in Medellín, Colombia. The team was founded in 2020 to compete in Súper Liga Americana de Rugby finals series of the 2020 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby season, however the season was cancelled following the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2] The team however will join the competition full-time ahead of the 2021 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby season.[3] Cafeteros Pro will become the first professional rugby union team from Colombia.[4][5]

Cafeteros Pro
Full nameLos Cafeteros Pro
Founded2020 (2020)
Ground(s)TBA
Coach(es) Rodolfo Ambrosio
Captain(s)TBA
League(s)Súper Liga Americana de Rugby

Beginnings

Ahead of the 2021 season, Cafeteros Pro appointed Argentine Rodolfo Ambrosio as head coach.[6] The team is set to have a budget of US$330,000 for their first season and their side will be a mixture of Colombian professional players and Argentine professional players.[4] The team along with the Paraguayan SLAR side Olímpia Lions will have priority of drafting Argentine players, with there being an excess of Argentine players due to the Argentine Jaguares side departing Super Rugby.[7][8] On 4 January 2021, it was announced that 10 Argentine players had been drafted to the side.[9] In the longer term the team is hoping to become a Colombian-centric team, with 90% of the players to be Colombians.[10] Ahead of the 2021 season, there were seven Colombian players playing professional rugby in foreign leagues: Brayan Campiño and Andrés Zafra (both playing in France), Julio Cesar Giraldo (who played for American side Rugby United New York in the 2020 Major League Rugby season), Giovanni Carvajal, Diver Ceballos and Danny Giraldo (who all played for the Uruguayan side Peñarol in the 2020 SLAR) and Johan Larrota.[5]

Stadium

The Cafeteros Pro have yet to announce their stadium or stadia in Medellín ahead of the 2021 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby season.

Current Squad

The Cafeteros Pro have yet to announce their squad for the 2021 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby season.

References

  1. "Sudamérica tendrá competencia, se viene la Liga, primer torneo profesional". Diario El Ciudadano y la Región (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  2. "SLAR Suspended Until 2021". Americas Rugby News. March 17, 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  3. "Six team Súper Liga (SLAR) competition set for 2021". Americas Rugby News. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  4. "Cafeteros Pro Budget". Americas Rugby News. 3 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  5. "Colombia has formalized professional rugby". Americas Rugby News. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  6. "Rodolfo Ambrosio to coach Los Cafeteros Pro in SLAR". Americas Rugby News. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  7. "Colombia and Paraguay teams to have SLAR draft priority". Americas Rugby News. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  8. "Jaguares to be drafted into SLAR teams". Americas Rugby News. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  9. "Los Cafeteros Pro draft 10 Argentine players for SLAR". Americas Rugby News. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  10. "El vuelo de los «Tucanes» colombianos…: artículo especial para Midi Olympique". Fecorugby. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
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