Hounds Add World Cup Veteran Hooker to 2024 Roster
CHICAGO, I.L.- The Hounds continue to add experience to their front row ahead of the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The club announced today the signing of Uruguayan international hooker Guillermo Pujadas.
The 26-year-old Montevideo native played for Los Teros in both the 2019 and 2023 World Cup campaigns. Pujadas brings 28 international caps to the Hounds’ front row, including seven World Cup appearances. The hooker played in all four of Uruguay’s contests in the 2023 tournament and made 19 tackles while carrying the ball one time for three meters. Pujadas scored three tries for Los Teros.
He joins the Hounds after spending the 2022-2023 season playing with Penarol in Super Liga Americana. Pujadas started ten matches for the club and came off the bench three times for a total of 13 appearances totaling 691 minutes. The 5-foot-11, 245-pound hooker scored one try on the season.
He made his test debut for Uruguay on November 17, 2018 against Fiji and has been featuring in the squad ever since. Prior to his international debut, Pujadas was a standout player for the Uruguayan Under-20 team. He made eight appearances for the U-20’s and scored a pair of tries in those contests.
The hooker will have a familiar face in the front row, linking back up with club and country teammate Ignacio Peculo, who Chicago also signed for the 2024 MLR season. He joins Janus Venter in the hooker position group for Hounds’ second campaign in Major League Rugby.
Roster to Date:
To date, the Chicago Hounds have signed the following players for the 2024 Major League Rugby season:
- Nick McCarthy, scrumhalf
- Ben Landry, lock/flanker
- Dave Kearney, wing
- Bryce Campbell, center*
- Zurabi Zhvania, prop
- Billy Meakes, center*
- Julian Dominguez, wing*
- George Merrick, lock
- Tinashe Muchena, back row*
- Adriaan Carelse, fullback
- Mika Felix, prop*
- Jason Higgins, scrumhalf (via trade with San Diego)
- Justice Nkombua, flanker*
- Paddy Ryan, prop*
- Mark O’Keeffe, center*
- Janus Venter, hooker
- Mike Matarazzo*, lock/flanker
- Ignacio Peculo, prop
- Cassh Maluia, outside back
- Guillermo Pujadas, hooker
Star denotes a re-signed player.
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