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Northampton’s Argentine winger is no longer eligible for Los Pumas. UAR President Carlos Araujo has confirmed that Juan Pablo Estelles will not be in consideration for international duty any longer.
Aged 28 Estelles moved to England earlier this season. The 2016 Olympian took up an offer to join the Northampton Saints to play abroad as a professional player for the first time in his career. His contract with the English club was short term and therefore he had permission from the UAR to sign and remain eligible for Los Pumas.
Los Pumas Head Coach, Daniel Hourcade called-up Estelles as a replacement for Argentina’s November test matches. Ramiro Moyano and Manuel Montero were both on tour but unfit to play. While a longterm deal at Racing 92 Juan Imhoff was out of consideration. This saw Estelles making his debut from the bench against Scotland and starting against England.
The injury-ravaged Pumas side was able to field Estelles due to the UAR green-lighting his eligibility. He was expected to return back to Argentina to play some, but not all, of the Super Rugby campaign for Los Jaguares. But with Estelles extending his stay in England this is no longer the case, making him unable to be selected by Hourcade.
Araujo clarified the situation: “The reality is that Juan Pablo Estelles had a contract with the UAR and was lent to Europe, he had permission and when it was time for him to sign again with the UAR he did not want to do so or he had a better offer and stayed working there. We have not changed our position.”
No 8 Facundo Isa is on the verge of being ruled out for Argentina. The star Puma is on his way to France. He is expected to complete a three-year deal with Toulon which would begin in October.
