Chile will make their World Cup debut in France this autumn – and no one is more proud than captain Martin Sigren.

He has put in the hours on and off the pitch as professional rugby gained a toehold in the country thanks to Súper Rugby Américas.

Related: The rise of rugby in Chile

And now he’s going to France to face South American rugby big guns Argentina, as well as England, Japan and Samoa in Pool D of the tournament.

Here are a few things you need to know about one of the country’s finest rugby exports.

Related: Chile Rugby World Cup squad 2023

Ten facts about Martin Sigren

Martin Sigren Molina was born in the Santiago, on May 14, 1996.

The blindside flanker stands 1.89m tall and weighs in at 103kg.

He started playing rugby at an English-speaking school in the Chilean capital, before joining local side Old Boys Club.

Sigren signed for Chilean Superliga Americana de Rugby (now known as Súper Rugby Américas) side Selknam in 2019, but his debut season was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He guided Selknam to the semi-finals of the 2021 SLAR tournament. The side went one better in 2022, reaching the final where they lost to Uruguayan side Peñarol.

Sigren left Chile in August 2022, and travelled across the Atlantic to join English Championship side Doncaster Knights on a season-long contract. In doing so, he became the first Chilean to play professional rugby in England.

The hard-working back row made 24 appearances in his sole season in England’s second-tier.

Martin Sigren made his international debut for Los Cóndores against South Korea in 2016, coming on as a replacement for then-captain Benjamín Soto.

He became captain of the national side himself in 2020, and was a key figure in their successful World Cup qualifying campaign in 2023.

He has a total 27 international caps, and will captain Chile in the first-ever World Cup appearance in France, where Los Cóndores are one of three sides from South America. Chile will face Argentina, England, Japan and Samoa in Pool D.

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