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Preparations for the Super Rugby season got underway on Monday in Buenos Aires with the 30-man roster being complemented by five hopefuls who trained with Los Jaguares. The Raúl Pérez coached franchise saw Felipe Arregui, Cristian Bartolon, Gonzalo Bertranou, Facundo Bosch and Felipe Ezcurra training with those contracted.
Their inclusion follows recent player movement with World Cup Pumas Tomás Cubelli and Juan Pablo Orlandí having taken up offers abroad. Also playing in Europe now are Bruno Postiglioni and Lucas González Amorosino. whose initial contract with Munster was until the end of this month and the UAR hope he will return to play Super Rugby.
Orlandi and Postiglioni both being out of the equation is compounded by Lucas Martínez’ involvement with Castres and Matías Díaz not being fit. Pérez is seeking to find a solution by calling upon the youth of Felipe Arregui and Cristian Bartoloni. Aged 21 and 20 the specialist props on either side of the scrum are both former Pumitas.
The same is true of Facundo Bosch. The 24 year old hooker is also uncapped but has been being groomed for higher honors in recent years, playing for both the Pampas XV and the Argentina XV. Of note is his inclusion ahead of Santiago González Valdez who Daniel Hourcade took to Europe in November 2013 only to be overtaken by Julián Montoya in 2015.
The two remaining additions are both scrumhalves and are capped, albeit with limited experience. Gonzalo Bertranou debuted for Argentina against Paraguay in 2015 while Felipe Ezcurra did so against Uruguay in 2014. Combined the two 22 year olds have earned three test caps. Notwithstanding, they have been busy playing for the representative sides including the Argentina XV and Pampas XV while Tomás Cubelli and Martín Landajo have been the only options used by Hourcade at the elite level.
