Chile's Las Manques make history with first home Test win, defeating Mexico 39-10

Chile’s women’s national team, the Manques, claimed a 39-10 victory over Mexico on 18 October 2026 in Santiago — the first women’s Test match ever hosted on Chilean soil. A crowd of 3,000 supporters packed the stands at Centro de Alto Rendimiento Parque Mahuida to witness the historic occasion.

The milestone arrived less than a year after Chile played their very first women’s Test match, a victory over Peru in October 2025 — a game that itself coincided with a period of surging global interest following the Women’s Rugby World Cup. In under twelve months, Las Manques have gone from a debut Test to hosting their own fixture, a rapid progression that captain Carla Jorquera described as both a privilege and a responsibility.

“It is a great responsibility to be here and represent Chile,” Jorquera said after the final whistle. “It isn’t only about us or those who will follow next; it is also about those who started this journey several years ago and who worked hard to create this platform.”

On the pitch, Chile were clinical. Try-scorers Michelle González, Beatriz Arameda, Nahuit Maureira, Francisca Gallardo — who crossed twice — and Camila Igor gave the home side a commanding winning margin, with Catalina Villarroel and Carolina Alfaro contributing nine points from the kicking tee.

Jorquera admitted the occasion briefly got the better of her side early on, but the emotion of the afternoon ultimately became a source of strength rather than a distraction.

“We started a bit anxious and nervous, as we were playing at home in front of so many familiar faces,” she said. “It is impossible not to feel overwhelmed by all the support we received. After the game was finished, we felt immense happiness. We were enjoying something that we had waited for and worked for all year.”

Chile will now host Colombia in what will be Las Manques’ second and final home Test of the year. Jorquera is clear-eyed about what the programme needs to become if the team is to keep growing — not just in results, but in infrastructure and investment.

“What we seek to achieve is a more professional environment,” she said. “We want to inspire the players in the U10s, U12s, to feel that Chilean rugby offers the best possible platform to chase success.”

The back-to-back milestones — a debut Test in 2025 and a first home fixture in 2026 — represent a significant step forward for women’s rugby in South America, and for a Chilean programme that is building quietly but with clear ambition.