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It’s a South American party in the Pro D2 this weekend with only one Uruguayan in the fray amidst a dozen Argentine scattered about the league. Injuries and international call-ups have kept some players out, with a return to business as usual in a couple weeks.
Colomiers got this started on Thursday with a clinical 36-21 win over Albi at home. Agustin Costa Repetto started at hooker with Demián Panizzo in the second row.
Friday will feature four games worth watching for Argentine fans. It will be a battle between two Pumas flyhalves at Stade Maurice Boyau with Ignacio Mieres tasked with steering Dax and Sebastián Poet lining up for Charente. Also starting for the home side will be Martín Chiappesoni on the flank, while in-form winger Facundo Panceyra Garrido looms dangerously for the SA XV.
Bottom-dwellers Bourgoin are now virtually certain to be relegated. Nicolás Mirande will start at tighthead in the knowledge that he won’t be at the club next year. Flanker Leandro Pérez Galeone has been one of their most consistent players and it remains to be seen if he will head for pastures new. Visiting Montauban are challenging for promotion to the Top 14 and will have Damian Arias wearing the no3 shirt on Friday night.
Mont-de-Marsan have a massive clash against Oyonnax, with both right in the thick of the playoff hunt. Carlos Muzzio starts at loosehead prop with tighthead Jerónimo Negrotto on the bench. Uruguay star Agustín Ormaechea will be manning the all-important no9 jersey.
Finally Leandro Assi will prop up the right side of the scrum for Biarritz against Béziers.
Sunday’s match pits Vannes against Perpignan. Conor Trainor is away with Canada but there are a handful of Americas players at Vannes who could make an appearance when the squads are released, including Eagles prop Eric Fry and former Pumas hooker Martín García Veiga.
