Uruguay had a successful year in 2025. Los Teros qualified for Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2027 as Sudamerica 1 and Uruguay ended the year ranked 14th in the world to secure a spot in Band 4 for the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw.

Attention has turned from qualifying and securing world rankings to preparing for Australia 2027 itself. This has seen a much changed Peñarol roster named for Super Rugby Americas (SRA). Many big names have not been included as Uruguay seeks an expanded player base for the World Rugby u20 Championship and subsequently for RWC 2027.

This article considers the potential make-up of the Uruguayan roster for the World Cup. It does so by analyzing contemporarily and with an eye on trends in Uruguayan selections.

 

NOTABLE URUGUAYAN CHANGES POST RWC 2023

Like all teams, Los Teros had to adjust due to retirements following RWC 2023. Veteran prop Matías Benítez and second-rowers Eric Dosantos and Diego Magno are no longer representing their country.

Retirements in the backs mean boyhood friends Agustín Ormaechea and Felipe Berchesi will not be playing in a fourth Rugby World Cup nor will winger Gastón Mieres or fullback Rodrigo Silva. In addition, Nicolás Freitas last played for Uruguay in mid-2024 and Tomás Inciarte sat out international activity in 2025.

photo: World Rugby

 

Displayed below, Uruguay’s player depth is varied across positions. The table places players across all fifteen positions based on regularity in selection while considering past trends, 2025 activity and potential for RWC 2027.

Head Coach Rodolfo Ambrosio has moved a number players from one position to another and back. To take fullback as an example, all three players listed could also play wing. The trio are all on the radar and, consequently, specialist wingers or hybrid center / wings have direct competition. It is similar with back-rowers and second-rowers.

#
TEAM 1
TEAM 2
TEAM 3

1
Mateo Sanguinetti
Mateo Perillo
Francisco Suárez

2
Germán Kessler
Guillermo Pujadas
Joaquín Myszka

3
Ignacio Péculo
Reinaldo Piussi
Diego Arbelo

4
Felipe Aliaga
Ignacio Dotti
Juan Manuel Rodriguez

5
Manuel Leindekar
Manuel Rosmarino
Agustín Morales *

6
Manuel Ardao
Santiago Civetta
Juan Manuel Dotta *

7
Lucas Bianchi
Franco Bertini *
Francisco Gallo *

8
Manuel Diana
Carlos Deus
Arturo Ten Hoever *

9
Santiago Arata
Santiago Álvarez
Juan Manuel Taffernaberry

10
Felipe Etcheverry
Jean Cotarmanac’h
Ícaro Amarillo

11
Juan Manuel Alonso
Ignacio Álvarez Akiki
Juan Bautista Hontou

12
Andrés Vilaseca
Joaquin Suárez
Juan Zuccarino

13
Felipe Arcos Pérez
Justo Ferrario
Alonso Perillo Albarracin

14
Bautista Basso
Ignacio Facciolo
Mateo Viñals

15
Juan Gonzalez
Baltazar Amaya
Francisco González Capdevila

* denotes player is uncapped.

 

RWC 2027 SELECTION RADAR

Roster sizes have increased over the past decade and a half. The size was 33 players for RWC 2023. This number has been utilized to piece together Los Teros’ selection radar for Australia 2027.

 

POS
QTY
PLAYERS
STAND-BY

LH
3
Mateo Sanguinetti, Francisco Suárez, Mateo Perillo
Santiago Cagnone

HK
3
Germán Kessler, Guillermo Pujadas, Facundo Gattas
Joaquín Myszka

TH
3
Reinaldo Piussi, Ignacio Péculo, Diego Arbelo
Francisco Suárez Folch

LO
3
Manuel Leindekar, Felipe Aliaga, Ignacio Dotti
Juan Manuel Rodriguez

FL + N8
6
Manuel Ardao, Lucas Bianchi, Manuel Diana, Santiago Civetta, Carlos Deus, Manuel Rosmarino
Franco Bertini

SH
2
Santiago Arata, Santiago Álvarez
Juan Manuel Tafernaberry

FH
3
Felipe Etcheverry, Jean Cotarmanac’h, Ícaro Amarillo
Juan Zuccarino

CE
5
Felipe Arcos Pérez, Andrés Vilaseca, Juan Manuel Alonso, Joaquín Suárez, Alfonso Perillo Albarracin
Santiago Gini

WI + FB
5
Baltazar Amaya, Bautista Basso, Juan González, Francisco González Capdevila, Ignacio Álvarez Akiki
Ignacio Facciolo

POS = Position
QTY = Quantity

 

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027  – URUGUAY FIXTURES

 SUNDAY, OCT 03  VS (Melbourne: 5:15pm AEST / 3:15am UY)

MONDAY, OCT 11 VS(Newcastle: 5:15pm AEST / 3:15am UY)

SUNDAY, OCT 17 VS(Melbourne: 2:45pm AEST / 12:45am UY)

 

 

URUGUAY’S PROJECTED RWC 2027 LINE-UP

Changes to the Rugby World Cup format mean Australia 2027 will feature six pools of four. This means three pool matches, a reduction of one from France 2023. An even number of participants per pool will facilitate rest days between matches and, as such, fewer changes to a line-up will be required when compared to how Uruguay approached matches at Rugby World Cups 2023 and earlier.

The projected line-up below is that presently expected to represent Uruguay assuming all players are fit and both selection and form patterns continue. The line-up is considered Los Teros’ team for their opening pool match, that being against Scotland in Melbourne.

 

#
PLAYER
TEAM
POSITION
CAPS

1
Mateo Sanguinetti
Peñarol
LH
96

2
Germán Kessler
Rouen Normandie (FR)
HK
74

3
Reinaldo Piussi
Civitavecchia (IT)
TH
16

4
Felipe Aliaga
Peñarol
LO
22

5
Manuel Leindekar (capt.)
Oyonnax (FR)
LO
45

6
Manuel Ardao
Peñarol
FL
38

7
Lucas Bianchi
Peñarol
FL
26

8
Manuel Diana
Peñarol
N8
53

9
Santiago Arata
Castres (FR)
SH
52

10
Felipe Etcheverry
Peñarol
FH
32

11
Bautista Basso
Peñarol
WI
18

12
Andrés Vilaseca
Peñarol
CE
88

13
Felipe Arcos Pérez
Peñarol
CE
19

14
Baltazar Amaya
Béziers (FR)
FB/WI
15

15
Juan Gonzalez
Worcester Warriors (UK)
FB
10

16
Guillermo Pujadas
Peñarol
HK
38

17
Francisco Suárez
Peñarol
LH
7

18
Ignacio Péculo
Seattle Seawolves (US)
TH
30

19
Ignacio Dotti
Old Glory DC (US)
LO
72

20
Carlos Deus
Peñarol
N8/FL
18

21
Santiago Álvarez
Peñarol
SH
19

22
Jean Cotarmanac’h
Vannes (FR)
FH
2

23
Juan Manuel Alonso
Peñarol
CE/WI
19

Foto: Prensa URU