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It is almost that time of the year. The month June is fast approaching. Argentina will have a series of three home matches. Coming away a 3-0 record will require vast improvement compared to that displayed in 2016.
Can Argentina do it? Based on who is touring the short answer is yes. The more broader question, however, is how does Argentina’s depth stand in 2017?
Player Management
Activities in Super Rugby are extremely explanatory. Player management has seen careful selection as to who plays which matches. The untimely injury to Martín Landajo opened the door to both Gonzalo Bertranou and Felipe Ezcurra for Los Jaguares. Bertranou has started all but two Super Rugby matches. Both players have risen to the occasion and with Tomás Cubelli out with a knee injury Argentina is undeniably better prepared than in 2016 at scrum half.
The fly half position is similar. Both Nicolás Sánchez and Juan Martín Hernández were unfit to start in the opening round of Super Rugby. This saw not Santiago González Iglesias but Joaqúin Díaz Bonilla getting an opportunity. It was a success, again giving Argentina greater options than last year.
Argentina’s November tour saw Hourcade left with no fit wingers. Santiago Cordero moved to fullback while centers Matías Moroni, Juan Pablo Estelles and Matías Orlando were all used out of position. Manuel Montero was among the injured and he is still yet to play at all since August. Moroni returned this past weekend for Los Jaguares. Both Ramiro Moyano and Emiliano Boffelli have also played wing, proving themselves to be of the required level. Center Bautista Ezcurra has also slotted in well on the wing. Moreover Boffelli and Moyano provide needed depth behind Joaquín Tuculet at fullback.
The rise of Marcos Kremer has eased concerns in the second-row. In 2016 Javier Ortega Desio started multiple tests out of position. This year he will be able to play in his natural position of flanker. Matías Alemanno and Guido Petti have performed well and Tomás Lavanini is set to return in time for international duty. With Ignacio Larrague Hourcade has genuine depth in the position.
Pablo Matera and Leonardo Senatore have been marked as two of the three starting back-rowers. Both have been enjoying highly productive Super Rugby campaigns. Rodrigo Báez and Tomás Lezana have both stepped up too. Put together with Juan Manuel Leguizamón and Ortega Desio and Argentina is well serviced. Benjamín Macome’s return from France offers back-up to Senatore.
Another position to have developed options is Tight Head prop. Ramiro Herrera and Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro are no longer alone. Enrique Pieretto is a third option while Felipe Arregui came back from Scotland to slot in nicely. On the other side there is less depth. Loose Head prop has been a case of concern. Lucas Noguera Paz is first choice with Santiago García Botta the next in line. Both are very young and, as such, Tetaz Chaparro may be used again at Loose head in 2017.
The remaining position of concern is Hooker. Captain Agustín Creevy is well served by Julián Montoya as his deputy. Third choice, though, is bleak. In Super Rugby Roberto Tejerizo has covered the position, doing so after converting from Loose Head prop. Additional cover is needed from the Argentina XV. Opportunities too are needed in order to carefully manage Creevy.
European Pumas
The UAR’s selection policy remains. Players based in Europe are not to be eligible for Los Pumas this year. Debates are likely to continue to resurface as to who could add to the team and whether exceptions ought to be made. Little doubt exists that there are players who would help boost the level of Los Pumas. Some of the players have stated that they believe the policy will change shortly. This, however, is very unlikely.
Realistically 2017 would appear to be different to 2016 in that the number of elite level players in Europe has fallen. Were Daniel Hourcade to pick from the European leagues it is plausible that perhaps only three players would be selected. These three are Juan Imhoff, Facundo Isa, Francisco Gomez Kodela.
Imhoff continues to be among the top wingers in France. Isa’s impact at Lyon has been well documented in the French press while Francisco Gomez Kodela is among the best scrummaging Tight Head props in Europe. Patricio Fernández, Juan Figallo and Mariano Galarza would all be very close calls. Unlike the three aforementioned players, the latter trio have not had the same impact this season in Europe.
Notwithstanding were an Argentine Barbarians side to be put together it would be competitive. There are more than enough Argentine players in Europe to piece together a quality lineup. Of those currently active the following is arguably the strongest lineup.
| # | PLAYER | CLUB | UNION |
| 1 | Juan Figallo | Saracens | England |
| 2 | Facundo Bosch | Agen | France |
| 3 | Francisco Gomez Kodela | Lyon | France |
| 4 | Manuel Carizza | Racing 92 | France |
| 5 | Mariano Galarza | Gloucester | England |
| 6 | Martín Chiappesoni | Dax | France |
| 7 | Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe | Toulon | France |
| 8 | Facundo Isa | Lyon | France |
| 9 | Agustín Figuerola | Lyon | France |
| 10 | Patricio Fernández | Clermont | France |
| 11 | Juan Imhoff | Racing 92 | France |
| 12 | Juan Pablo Socino | Newcastle | England |
| 13 | Marcelo Bosch | Saracens | England |
| 14 | Axel Muller | Toulon | France |
| 15 | Martín Bustos Moyano | Bayonne | France |
Hierarchy
Jaguares players and additional support from the Argentina XV is the basis for test selection. The only player set to feature currently based abroad is Tomás Cubelli. Potentially a player coming off contract in Europe could be selected. There are a number of players in this situation and of them Manuel Carizza is the one name listed above who will will be free as of June.
Selection for Los Pumas has been made in the following chart. It lists the team based on the top four players per position. In certain instances this sees a player moving position based on the hierarchy.
| # | TEST TEAM | RESERVE TEAM | THIRD CHOICE TEAM | FOURTH CHOICE TEAM |
| 1 | Lucas Noguera Paz | Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro | Santiago García Botta | Facundo Gigena |
| 2 | Agustín Creevy | Julián Montoya | Roberto Tejerizo | Gaspar Baldunciel |
| 3 | Ramiro Herrera | Enrique Pieretto | Felipe Arregui | Cristian Bartoloni |
| 4 | Guido Petti | Matías Alemanno | Juan Cruz Guillemaín | Pedro Ortega |
| 5 | Tomás Lavanini | Marcos Kremer | Ignacio Larrague | Franco Molina |
| 6 | Pablo Matera | Juan Manuel Leguizamón | Rodrigo Báez | Francisco Gorrissen |
| 7 | Tomás Lezana | Javier Ortega Desio | Tomás de la Vega | Lautaro Bavaro |
| 8 | Leonardo Senatore | Benjamín Macome | Juan Manuel Leguizamón | Santiago Portillo |
| 9 | Martín Landajo | Tomás Cubelli | Gonzalo Bertranou | Felipe Ezcurra |
| 10 | Nicolás Sánchez | Juan Martin Hernández | Joaquín Diaz Bonilla | Santiago González Iglesias |
| 11 | Emiliano Boffelli | Manuel Montero | Fernando Luna | Germán Schulz |
| 12 | Juan Martín Hernández | Jerónimo de la Fuente | Gabriel Ascárate | Bruno Devoto |
| 13 | Matías Orlando | Matías Moroni | Santiago Álvarez Fourcade | Juan Cappiello |
| 14 | Santiago Cordero | Ramiro Moyano | Bautista Ezcurra | Julián Domínguez |
| 15 | Joaquín Tuculet | Santiago Cordero | Emiliano Boffelli | Bautista Delguy |
