Leguizamón signs deal with UAR

The ongoing struggles in Japan to put together a Super Rugby franchise are a world apart from what is taking place in Argentina. The country’s first professional rugby team has obtained one more player, Juan Manuel Leguizamón to bring the total number under contracts to 28.

Leguizamón joins the Argentine franchise on a two-year deal covering all of 2016 and 2017 and does so after having had vast experiences playing in the European leagues from 2005-2015. His previous clubs include London Irish, Stade Français and Lyon. Now aged 32, he will achieve the dream of his rugby World cup 2007 colleagues of playing professional rugby in his home country.

Capped 59 times by Argentina, Leguizamón debuted against Japan in a home test in 2005. The test match fell outside of the mandatory World Rugby (formerly IRB) release window and coach Marcelo Loffreda was therefore unable to field foreign based professional players. Having scored a try in an impressive debut performance Leguizamón was called up by Loffreda to face the British and Irish Lions ar Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

The famous 25-25 draw saw Leguizamón filling the boots of the unavailable Gonzalo Longo and he would do the same in 2007 when Los Pumas gave the world an overdue reminder of Argentina’s standing in rugby by defeating the home team in the opening fixture of the World Cup. In 2013 he completed a rare accomplishment of scoring against South Africa, New Zealand and Australia and he did so over consecutive test matches.

Throughout his career Leguizamón has been a permanent stay on the Pumas roster with him captaining the 2013 team that played three tests in Europe. The firmly established senior is the sixth back-rower to sign for the UAR. He joins rugby World Cup colleagues Facundo Isa, Tomás Lezana, Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio in addition to the recovering Rodrigo Báez. Both Isa and Lezana join Leguizamón in being from Santiago Lawn Tennis Club from the Northern city of Santiago del Estero.