Brazil's Yaras target WXV Global Challenger debut with ambition and renewed squad depth

Brazil’s Yaras arrive in Hong Kong for their first WXV Global Challenger Series appearance carrying genuine momentum, having beaten USA Falcons and South Africa ‘A’ in the past five months under new head coach Guilherme Coghetto.

The South American side open against hosts Hong Kong China on Sunday before facing the Netherlands and Spain, and loose forward Milena Mariano made clear the squad has no intention of simply making up the numbers.

“We want to start things well, as we are facing the home team, Hong Kong China. We are expecting a tough game with packed stands. We want to deliver a strong performance by showcasing our powerful scrum, our trustworthy lineout, and our ability to win the gain-line. We want to play the Yaras way and surprise fans.”

For Mariano, the tournament carries personal weight beyond the result. The back-rower ruptured her ACL at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and spent two injury-hit years on the sidelines, missing Brazil’s historic first Women’s Rugby World Cup appearance in the process.

“I had to watch the World Cup from the sidelines as I was injured, and I still had the time of my life supporting my teammates. What they did one year ago was nothing short of amazing. But now we are focused on the present, and that’s the WXV!”

Veteran fly-half Raquel Kochhann, one of the most experienced figures in Brazilian women’s rugby, returns to help steer the team’s continued development following their World Cup debut. She pointed to clear growth in the squad since that milestone.

“Although we aren’t the same team as we were one year ago, we have kept our core group of players and have got several reinforcements. We have greatly evolved in the past year, and I am certain we will show that to the WXV fandom.”

Kochhann also outlined the philosophy driving the Yaras, centred on two Portuguese words the squad repeat among themselves: alegria (joyfulness) and ousadia (ambition).

Mariano echoed that outlook and framed the WXV as a stepping stone rather than a destination, with qualification for the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Australia the team’s overriding goal.

“The World Cup was just the beginning. The Yaras are just starting, and we have so much to give. Our goal isn’t the WXV but the next four years as we want to qualify for Australia 2029. Believe in us; we can do great things.”