Costa Rica national rugby union team

Summary

The Costa Rica national rugby union team represents Costa Rica in international rugby union. The nation have yet to play in a Rugby World Cup tournament. The Costa Rica national rugby team played their first international in 2005 defeating their opponents Panama by 60–0.

Costa Rica national rugby union team
Nickname(s)Ticos
UnionFederación de Rugby de Costa Rica (FRCR)
Head coachPablo Gonzales Lucas (2009); Charles (2010); Larry Grech (2011); Francisco José Galarreta Apaestegui (2012).
CaptainLeonardo Muñoz Recalde
First colours
World Rugby ranking
Current100 (as of 29 January 2024)
Highest93 (23 November 2020)
First international
 Costa Rica 60–0 Panama 
(19 February 2005)
Biggest win
 Costa Rica 91–5 Panama 
(27 August 2017)
Biggest defeat
 Brazil 95–0 Costa Rica 
(16 October 2006)
World Cup
Appearances0
National Squads 2009 - 2012
Costa Rica in 2009

In December, 2007, Costa Rica A & B sides participated in the First Central American Rugby cup. The other competing teams were Panama and Guatemala. Costa Rica A came first in this tournament, Panama 2nd, Guatemala 3rd, and Costa Rica B 4th.

In December 2009, Costa Rica hosted the IRB Consur B tournament. The other competing nations were Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Costa Rica. The final results were Colombia finishing first, Venezuela second, Peru third, and Costa Rica fourth.

After finishing fourth behind Peru, Venezuela and Colombia in the 2010 and 2011 CONSUR B tournaments, Costa Rica played in the newly created CONSUR C tournament in 2012. They won this tournament, beating Guatemala, Ecuador and El Salvador.

Overall Record edit

Their Test record against all nations (up to 23 11 2019):

Against Played Won Lost Drawn % Won
  Brazil 1 0 1 0 0%
  Cayman Islands 1 0 1 0 0%
  Colombia 4 0 4 0 0%
  Ecuador 7 3 3 1 42.86%
  El Salvador 6 4 2 0 80%
  Guatemala 5 2 2 1 50%
  Mexico 1 0 1 0 0%
  Nicaragua 2 2 0 0 100%
  Panama 6 5 1 0 75%
  Peru 6 0 6 0 0%
  Venezuela 4 0 4 0 0%
Total 43 16 25 2 36.76%

CONSUR C Guatemala 2012 edit

In December 2012, Costa Rica played in the newly created CONSUR C tournament. They won this tournament, beating Guatemala by 37 to 10, Ecuador by 33 to 8 and El Salvador by 57 to 3.

This unprecedented achievement was the result a hardworking staff and a 5 months preparation during which more than 100 players were called for trials. Coach Francisco José "El Gordo Secret" Galarreta Apaestegui and his manager Wadya "Dr. Evil" Sauma put up a team united by personal sacrifice, friendship and a common dream that lead them into victory. The 2012 Costa Rican rugby union team demonstrated the country's rugby at its best, displaying some players from every union.

The 2012 squad included the following 25: Marco Blanco (Prop, Coronado RC); Guillermo Lavari (Prop, Stags RFC); Jefry Vargas (Prop, Cadejos RC); Marvin Taylor Ebanks (Prop, Montreal Irish RFC, Canada); Claudio Carrizo (Hooker, Stag RFC); Alexis Devitre (Lock, Universitarios Club de Rugby); Meyer Zúñiga Fernández (Lock, Cartago RC); Hugo López Póveda (Lock, Cartago RC); Nicolas Broggi (#8, Universitarios Club de Rugby); Marlon Cerdas Blanco (#8, Coronado RC); Fernando Ramírez Esquivel (Flanker, Wák RC); Pierric Béros (Flanker, Stag RFC); Sebastián Gutiérrez del Valle (Scrum Half, Stag RFC); Leonardo Muñoz Recalde (Scrum Half, Wák RC); Iván Bogantes Miranda (Fly Half, Universitarios Club de Rugby); Ignacio Maqueda (Fly Half, Stag RFC); Lucas Withington (Fly Half/Center, Stag RFC); Rafael Ulloa Beeche (Center, Wák RC); Franklin Zúñiga (Center, Stag RFC); Rafael López Póveda (Full Back, Cartago RC); Ariel Apuy (Full Back, Universitarios Club de Rugby); Juan José Mata Zúñiga (Winger, Universitarios Club de Rugby); Gustavo Patiño (Winger, Cadejos RC); César Salas (Winger, Cadejos RC); Byron Monge Benavides (Winger, Universitarios Club de Rugby).

External links edit

  • Costa Rica on rugbydata.com
  • Universitarios Club de Rugby Costa Rica on rugbyuniversitarios.com