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
Founded2019 (2019)
LocationMedellín, Colombia
Ground(s)TBA
Coach(es) Rodolfo Ambrosio
Captain(s) Jhon Carlos Álvarez
League(s)SLAR
20216th
Playoffs
DNQ
1st kit
2nd kit

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 squad for the 2021 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby season is:[11]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
Agustín Acosta Hooker Argentina
Jorge Álvarez Hooker Colombia
Javier Corvalán Prop Argentina
Juan David Herrera Prop Colombia
Brayhan Pérez Prop Colombia
Yani Pérez Prop Colombia
Diego Posada Prop Colombia
Jhon Carlos Álvarez (c) Lock Colombia
Danny Giraldo Lock Colombia
Lautaro Simes Lock Argentina
Ramiro Tallone Lock Argentina
Sebastián Zapata Lock Colombia
Diver Ceballos Back row Colombia
Gerson Ortiz Back row Colombia
Aníbal Panceyra Garrido Back row Argentina
Felipe Puertas Back row Argentina
Julián Velandia Back row Colombia
Player Position Union
Oscar Forero Scrum-half Colombia
Gonzalo García Scrum-half Argentina
Julián Navarro Scrum-half Colombia
Andrés Álvarez Fly-half Colombia
Facundo Pueyrredón Fly-half Argentina
Nicolás Roger Fly-half Argentina
Álvaro Gamarra Centre Colombia
Tomás García Centre Argentina
Johan Ortiz Centre Colombia
Cristian Rodallegas Centre Colombia
Alejandro Navarro Wing Colombia
Jhon Arley Urrutia Wing Colombia
Facundo Ferrario Fullback Argentina
  • Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
  • * denotes players qualified to play for the Colombia on dual nationality or residency grounds.

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.
  11. "Cafeteros Pro". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
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