Final Americas Rosters for Men’s Olympic 7s

The opening ceremony isn’t until Friday, but the Men’s Rugby Sevens tournament at the Paris Olympics kicks off on Wednesday. Representing the Americas are three of the 12 entries – Argentina, Uruguay, and the USA. Of those the betting favorite to medal is Los Pumas, but the Eagles are a veteran outfit and Los Teros have the ability to cause an upset.

Santiago Alvarez leads Argentina, who finished first overall on this year’s circuit but settled for second in the winner-take-all Madrid tourney under the new series format. He is one of three Pumas who return for a third Olympic games along with Gastón Revol and Germán Schulz.

Last year’s World Rugby 7s Player of the Year Rodrigo Isgró is named as an alternate due to a suspension that leaves him ineligible for the pool stage. If called upon it would be the second Olympic Games for Isgró. Matías Osadczuk, Luciano González, and Marcos Moneta were also part of the squad that finished as Bronze winners in Tokyo three years ago.

With Canada falling short of qualification, the USA will be flying the flag for North America. The Eagles were 9th overall on this year’s circuit and dropped out in the Quarter Finals at Tokyo. Kevon Williams captains the squad in his second Olympic Games, one of five players who were in the 2021 squad.

It’s the second Olympics for Matai Leuta, Stephen Tomasin, and Maka Unufe, and the third for Madison Hughes and Perry Baker. Unufe was on the Rio 2016 roster but missed out on Tokyo with injury. Top lineout forward Joe Schroeder was poised to make his second Olympics but was ruled out with injury, with Leuta recalled in his place.

Uruguay were not part of the 2023-24 Sevens Series, instead dropping to the Challenger circuit, but did earn their spot for next season with a successful Madrid event. This is their first Olympic Games, qualifying as South American representatives after Argentina sealed their spot with a top-four finish on the 2022-23 circuit.

Diego Ardao captains with veteran playmaker Guillermo Lijtenstein helping with on-field leadership. Much of the squad has also represented their country in test rugby. James McCubbin is something of a sevens specialist while Bautista Basso, Felipe Arcos Pérez, and Mateo Viñals are also experienced campaigners in the shortened code.

Madrid champions France will be among the tournament favorites with global star Antoine Dupont part of the home squad. Sevens great Jerry Tuwai headlines a potent Fiji lineup, New Zealand will be led by stalwart forwards Dylan Collier and Scott Curry, and former LA Giltinis flanker Harry McNulty captains overall circuit runners-up Ireland.

The tournament begins at 3:30pm local time on Wednesday, 10:30am Eastern, 7:30am Pacific. Pool play takes place over two days with the medal finals on Saturday, July 27. A complete schedule can be seen here.

 

 

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PLAYER

HGT

WGT

DOB

CAPS*

* – World Sevens Series tournaments

 

ARGENTINA

Head Coach: Santiago Gómez Cora

1	Joaquín Pellandini	1.72 5-8	72 160	1999-05-27	19
2	Tomás Elizaldze	1.82 6-0	90 200	2002-11-18	14
3	Germán Schulz	1.88 6-2	95 210	1994-02-05	70
4	Matteo Graziano	1.95 6-5	105 230	2001-07-21	21
5	Agustín Fraga	1.93 6-4	98 215	2002-03-06	25
6	Santiago Álvarez (capt.)	1.88 6-2	93 205	1994-02-17	63
7	Tobias Wade	1.83 6-0	82 180	1999-08-06	22
8	Gastón Revol	1.70 5-7	76 165	1986-11-26	106
9	Matías Osadczuk	1.91 6-3	96 210	1997-04-22	42
10	Santiago Mare	1.84 6-0	92 200	1996-10-21	35
11	Luciano González	1.80 5-11	95 210	1997-04-10	56
12	Marcos Moneta	1.85 6-1	75 165	2000-03-07	26
ALT	Rodrigo Isgró	1.85 6-1	95 210	1999-03-24	28
ALT	Santiago Vera Feld	1.81 5-11	82 180	2001-03-19	23

URUGUAY

Head Coach: Ivo Dugonjic

1	James McCubbin	1.90 6-3	95 210	1998-05-27	12
2	Valentín Grille	1.87 6-2	88 195	1998-06-15	8
3	Tomás Etcheverry	1.96 6-5	101 220	2001-09-30	9
4	Juan Manuel Tafernaberry	1.75 5-9	72 160	2002-05-27	3
5	Bautista Basso	1.85 6-1	87 190	2001-01-18	12
6	Diego Ardao (capt.)	1.77 5-10	90 200	1995-08-04	14
7	Mateo Viñals	1.81 5-11	85 185	1998-10-07	11
8	Felipe Arcos Pérez	1.79 5-10	92 200	2000-05-17	10
9	Guillermo Lijtenstein	1.68 5-6	75 165	1990-09-14	18
10	Baltazar Amaya	1.85 6-1	90 200	1999-05-26	8
11	Ignacio Facciolo	1.88 6-2	91 200	2001-08-12	12
12	Juan González	1.79 5-10	87 190	2003-04-12	2
ALT	Koba Brazionis	1.76 5-9	81 180	1998-10-07	8
ALT	Dante Soto	1.75 5-9	80 175	2003-06-02	1

 

USA

Head Coach: Mike Friday

1	Aaron Cummings	1.88 6-2	90 200	1997-07-01	21
2	Maka Unufe	1.88 6-2	96 210	1991-09-28	53
3	Orrin Bizer	1.89 6-2	97 215	2000-12-13	7
4	Matai Leuta	1.91 6-3	106 235	1990-07-20	44
5	Marcus Tupuola	1.78 5-10	88 195	1995-10-05	31
6	Kevon Williams (capt.)	1.78 5-10	84 185	1991-06-07	53
7	Naima Fuala’au	1.76 5-9	85 185	1998-06-17	29
8	Malacchi Esdale	1.88 6-2	90 200	1995-05-04	26
9	Stephen Tomasin	1.78 5-10	87 190	1994-09-25	60
10	Madison Hughes	1.75 5-9	79 175	1992-10-26	60
11	Perry Baker	1.85 6-1	82 180	1986-06-29	71
12	Lucas Lacamp	1.82 6-0	88 195	2001-06-04	20
ALT	Adam Channel	1.91 6-3	96 210	1997-01-16	14
ALT	Pita Vi	1.80 5-11	85 185	2002-01-31	8