Chile put faith in youth to secure RWC dream
By Javier Carrera
From Chile
Chile's quest to qualify for their first ever Rugby World Cup begins on home soil in Viña del Mar this weekend when they face Brazil in the opening match of the 2009 South American Championship.
The Chilean Cóndores have been trying for over a decade to become the third South American side - after RWC 2007 bronze medallists Argentina and Uruguay - to grace Rugby's premier tournament.
The national side make-up has changed much since Chile first took part in qualifying for the 1999 tournament in Wales, the reliance on just one club - Universidad Católica - into a team that draws players from all first division clubs who participate in the Central tournament of the Asociación de Rugby de Santiago (ARUSA), the most important tournament in the country.
As the decade passed, the growth of Chilean rugby was clear to see as was the numbers of players playing at different levels in Europe and southern hemisphere countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Chile Rugby Federation also took on Argentine coach Jorge Navessi to look after the national team on a full-time basis.
Chile, still mostly featuring players from Universidad Católica, beat Uruguay and USA on home soil in qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2003, but fell to their traditional South American rivals in the return in Montevideo. They suffered further qualifying heartbreak in 2006 when a younger side again lost in a one-off match, mistakes costing them the dream of progressing in the qualifying process for the 2007 tournament.
Young prospects
This time around Chile have put their faith in youth and will boast an average age of under 23 when the Cóndores take to the field against Brazil, the South American B Championship winners who remain in the World Cup qualification hunt after beating Trinidad & Tobago in the Americas playoff last October.
But while Chile have a youthful look about them, their new national coach Daniel Graco is not overly concerned, the Argentine confident he has a number of leaders in the squad among a talented group of young players.
"There is a generation of players that are taking on their role as leaders," explained Graco. "Cristián Onetto and Tomás Olave have already participated in two processes, Javier Valderrama and Matías Cabrera have been playing at a very high level, and so have the young prospects who are always an important contribution."
The "young prospects" that Greco refers to include several members of Chile's Under 20 squad that reached the final of the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy on home soil last year, including captain Benjamín del Solar, star centre Francisco de la Fuente, prop Luka Salamunic and flanker Sebastián Aviles.
Having one eye on the future is not the only focus for Graco, who knows that another key element in Chile's development is regular matches, something he believes the Chile Rugby Federation are realising for this year.
"What is complicated is to get a certain number of international matches," continued Graco. "But the Chile Federation has made an important effort to solve this problem. Last year in a short time, we had four games of a very good level, and this year we have already had three matches.
The best of Chile
"According to our plans for this season, we are getting close to 12 to 14 matches, which are necessary for a team that needs to get to know each other."
That said Graco and his young charges will not be underestimating the threat that an improving Brazilian outfit pose to Chile's qualifying aspirations, although he has faith in his players.
"We know that Brazil's level has grown and they are an opponent to whom we will show respect, but the best players must be in a national team and these players are the best we have in Chile."
Whoever emerges victorious from this South American qualifier - be it Chile, Brazil or Uruguay - then there will still be one hurdle to overcome, a playoff against the loser of the Canada v USA two-legged affair to determine the Americas 2 qualifier for New Zealand 2011.
These qualifying matches also form part of the South American Championship 2009 with Paraguay joining the trio to ensure double headers, with all bar the Chile v Brazil match taking place at the Charrúa Stadium in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo, starting on Saturday with Uruguay's encounter with Paraguay.
