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French Pro D2 club Agen have confirmed the arrival of Facundo Bosch from Argentina. The hooker from Necochea has signed on with the club until 2019. He is one of seven arrivals, one of the others is Argentine Leandro Cedaro who joins from La Rochelle.
The loss of Bosch is significant for Argentina. His moving to Agen makes him ineligible to play for Los Pumas. It also leaves Los Jaguares with just two specialist hookers – Agustín Creevy and Julián Montoya. These same two players have been the only two used for Argentina since the 2015 Rugby Championship.
Bosch was the third choice hooker for both Los Jaguares and Los Pumas in 2016. He overtook Tucumán’s Santiago Iglesias Valdez who had been the number two hooker on the November 2014 European tour.
Iglesias Valdez started against Brazil, Canada, Uruguay and the USA for the Argentina XV in the 2016 Americas Rugby Championship. He did so with Bosch training with Los Jaguares. Gaspar Baldunciel was the replacement hooker against the USA and Axel Zapata against Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. Zapata started against Chile with Ignacio Callas as his replacement.
Bosch played against Chile and Uruguay in the 2016 South American Cup. Iglesias Valdez was his replacement for both internationals.
In the World Rugby Nations Cup in June Iglesias Valdez started for the Argentina XV against Spain and Romania. Zapata did so against Emerging Italy.
In the Americas Pacific Challenge Zapata was the starting hooker against Canada ‘A’. Baldunciel was his replacement and was also the reserve hooker against Uruguay. Bosch started against both Uruguay and Fiji with Zapata on the bench for the latter.
Bosch’s departure to France leaves a hole for both Raúl Pérez and Daniel Hourcade. As such Santiago Iglesias Valdez, Axel Zapata and Gaspar Baldunciel will likely join Los Jaguares shortly.
