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The UAR have completed a double-coup this week by signing two of the country’s most experienced and influential players, Juan Manuel Leguizamón and nor Juan Martín Hernández. Both players will play for the country’s Super Rugby franchise after many years abroad.
Both players are now to realize a dream of playing professional rugby in their home country. For Hernández it is a second opportunity to play Super Rugby after the first fell short when he had to leave the Natal Sharks early due to injury.
Hernández left South Africa to return to France, a country he had already left his mark by winning the Top 14 title in 2004 and 2007 with Stade Français. His move to rivals Racing Métro did not bring titles but his most recent club, Toulon did as Hernández added a Euopean Champions Cup title to that of his French League successes.
Now aged 33 Hernández is into the twilight of his career and has already made it known that the upcoming Rugby World Cup is to be his last. It will, like Super Rugby, he a second opportunity after he missed out on playing in the 2011 tournament due to injury. The England and Wales hosted event is to be the third of his career and will also see him playing in a third position.
In 2003 Hernández was the back-up option to Ignacio Corleto at fullback and he, indeed, started in the position against both Namibia and Romania. Having been so instrumental for Stade Français at fly half Marcelo Loffreda utilized his talents in this position throughout the Bronze Medal winning campaign in 2007. Now in 2015 he is set to play inside center.
Post World Cup he will recover before returning to where it all began, Buenos Aires. Hernández came through the ranks in his own city after playing for Deportiva Francesa. The people of Argentina are familiar with his origins and are to welcome him with open arms. Him joining the franchise is also highly significant to the marketing of the team with him being known as the Diego Maradona of rugby.
The utility value of Hernández is likely to be utilized for the purposes of Super Rugby. He joins Nicolás Sánchez and Santiago González Iglesias as the fly half options while Jerónimo De la Fuente and Gabriel Ascárate are the specialist inside centers currently under contract. The prospects of a return to fulback are lower with Santiago Cordero, Joaquín Tuculet and Emiliano Boffelli all on the UAR’s books.
