The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Belgrano Athletic, Argentinian Top 14 champions

Roar Guru
16th October, 2016
Advertisement
Roar Guru
16th October, 2016
23
1461 Reads

Belgrano Athletic, one of the four founding clubs of the Argentina Rugby Union (UAR) in 1899, had to wait 48 years to get their 11th title.

Finally, and after a handful of years of reaching playoffs, the club was able to bring down the kingdom built by Hindu Club that had won six titles in the past eight years and won the final by a convincing score, 25-10.

The two teams that reached the final ranked one and two during the year and had all the merits to be there. Belgrano Athletic was founded in 1896 right at the centre of Buenos Aires and it holds a traditional English inheritance from the late 1800s that goes way back when railroads were locally developed by British companies.

Many players who have played for the Pumas came from this club. Take Marcelo Bosch (Saracens), Tomas Cubelli (Brumbies) and Santiago Garcia Botha (Jaguares) as the last examples.

To better understand what I consider the most important amateur rugby tournament of the world, one must take into account that these Argentine players have regular jobs or are students that make the effort to go out and train five days a week after their daily working routines.

The MVP of the game was 29-year-old Francisco Ferronato, a doctor who spends long hours working at a hospital and who also has a family of his own to look after. This young fellow somehow finds the time and energy to play competitive rugby. The prop scored a record 17 tries in 15 games and was present in every game.

Another outstanding player is the number 8, Alejandro Galli, who at the age of 38 has now played 19 consecutive seasons for the club in the top division.

The team has built its strength from the scrum – it is considered without a doubt the best in the nation. This scrum is so strong that not even the Pumas in practice are able to control it. The line and maul were lethal for all the rivals who couldn’t stop it all year long.

Advertisement

With very strong forwards and solid backs, playing in a traditional old South African rugby style, the team made a strong statement to their other thirteen rivals. The only two defeats came after they had clinched a semi-final birth.

Congratulations to the club and fans. You clearly have the endurance it takes to wait for many years for a title. I am sure the celebrations will last many days!

close