South American B Championship

Including World Cup qualifiers

The South American B Championship starts in Sao Paulo this weekend. The championship doubles as a round of World Cup Qualifiers for three of the four teams Brazil, Colombia and Peru.

The first round of American qualifiers is divided into two sections the Caribbean and the South American.

Those who will take part in the Caribbean section next year are: Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Grenadines, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Trinidad & Tobago. The winner of this joins Canada and the USA. The winner of that three-team tournament goes to France, the runner-up to Round 4.

The Confederation Sudamericana de Rugby (CONSUR) has a second division, which will form the first South American Round of qualifiers. The fourth team in this round is Venezuela, who to cause confusion in some minds will not be at the Sao Paulo tournament. They will play their matches later, but to make the numbers even in Sao Paulo, Paraguay have joined in the Sao Paulo tournament.

Venezuela are scheduled to play Brazil on 29 October, Peru on 6 November and Colombia on 13 November.

When all four Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela - have played off, the winner of this joins Paraguay and Chile in Round 2. The winner of that tournament joins Uruguay and Argentina in Round 3. The winner of Round 3 goes to France for the World Cup. The runner up goes into Round 4. The winner of that goes to France, the runner-up into répechage.

All of that is a long way from Complexo Esportivo Constâncio Vaz Guimarães, Estádio Ícaro de Castro Mello in São Paulo between 10 and 16 October. In Portuguese the tournament is Sul Americano de Rugby Maiores "B".

Brazil are the hosts and the most likely winners. They are therefore most likely to join Chile and Paraguay in the next round.

The matches are:

10 October:
Colombia vs Paraguay at 15.00
Referee: Eduardo Blengio (Uruguay)
Touch judges: (both from Brazil)

Brazil vs Peru at 17.00
Referee: Leonardo Borghi (Argentina)
Touch judges: Jaime Vial (Chile), AN Other (Paraguay)

13 October:
Paraguay vs Peru at 17.30
Referee: Jaime Vial (Chile)
Touch judges: AN Other (Brazil), Andrés Hoyos (Colombia)
 
Brazil vs Colombia at 19.30
Referee: Eduardo Blengio (Uruguay)
Touch judges: Leonardo Borghi (Argentina), Diego Saravia (Peru)

16 October:
Colombia vs Peru at 15.00
Referee: Jaime Vial (Chile)
Touch judges: Leonardo Borghi (Argentina), AN Other (Paraguay)

Brazil vs Paraguay at 17.00
Referee: Leonardo Borghi (Argentina)
Touch judges: Andrés Hoyos (Colombia), Diego Saravia (Peru)

The matches will be broadcast on ESPN Brasil.

NB Times are Brazilian times.