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Los Pumitas warmed-up for the World Rugby Junior World Championship by taking-on the Argentina XV on Saturday. In a match which tested the country’s leading under 20 players the athletes and team, in general, game through the match well.
The Argentina XV is Argentina’s second XV, or ‘A’ side. Starting were Super Rugby centers Gabriel Ascárate (pictured) and Joaquín Paz with the former playing the match at fly half. Also with Los Jaguares experience were props Cristian Bartolini and Felipe Arregui while a host of others featured in the Americas Rugby Championship.
Los Pumitas also had players from the Americas Rugby Championship but in being younger the result is a testament to the progress made by the team. Crossing for two tries was promising inside center Teo Castiglioni.
In total the two sides scored five converted tries each, thereby competing to a 35-35 draw. Accurate goal kicking was hallmark of both Martín Elías and Pedro Mercerat.
Next up for players from both teams is international duty. Los Pumitas will travel to Manchester, England to compete in the Junior World Championship next month while the Argentina XV will face Uruguay and Chile in the Sudamérica Rugby Cup.
SCORERS
LOS PUMITAS
Tries: Castiglioni (2), Malanos, Osadczuk, Stávile
Conversion: Elías (5)
ARGENTINA XV
Try: Bollini, Ortega, Ascárate, Menéndez, Devoto
Conversion: Mercerat (5)
LOS PUMITAS
1 Juan Pablo Enríquez, 2 Gaspar Baldunciel, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Marcos Kremer, 5 Ignacio Calas, 6 Benito Paolucci (capt.), 7 Vicente Boronat, 8 Conrado Roura, 9. Patricio Baronio, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Julián Domínguez, 12 Teo Castiglioni, 13 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Tomás Malanos, 15 Bautista Delguy
Replacements: Lautaro Bazán, Santiago Mare, Nahuel Milán, Franco Molina, Matías Osadczuk, Román Pretz, Santiago Pulella, Mariano Romanini, Bautista Stávile
ARGENTINA XV
1 Felipe Arregui, 2 Santiago Iglesias, 3 Cristian Bartoloni, 4 Pedro Ortega, 5 Ignacio Larrague, 6 Lucas Maguire, 7 Nicolás Menéndez, 8 Justo Ordano, 9 Marcos Bollini, 10 Gabriel Ascárate, 11 Emiliano Soncini, 12 Joaquín Paz, 13 Bruno Devoto, 14 Renzo Barbier, 15 Pedro Mercerat
Replacements: Eduardo Bello, Federico Lavanini, Ramiro Finco, Juan Manuel Lescano, Niolás Walker
