Spain name squad to take on Canada

Spain have named a group of 26 players to prepare for their match against Canada in Madrid on November 18. Head coach Santiago Santos will have most of his best players available to him with a number of players recalled after missing out on the World Rugby Nations Cup.

The vast majority of the side play professionally in France, with only six domestic-based players named in the squad. Ironically four of those are native to other countries. Argentine-born prop Fernando López, English lock Matt Foulds, Fijian lock Carlos Gavidi, and New Zealander Brad Linklater are joined by locals Álvar Gimeno and Federico Casteglioni. Hawke’s Bay inside back Dan Snee is the only player currently based in the Southern Hemisphere.

Notable recalls include veteran hooker pair Beñat Auzqui and Marco Pinto Ferrer, and loose forward Thibaut Visensang. The latter is one of three players who have represented France at u20 level, the others loosehead prop Jean-Baptiste Custoja and flyhalf Mathieu Bélie.

One uncapped player is named in former Leicester and Toulouse scrumhalf David Mélé, though an injury suffered on the weekend may yet rule him out. Bayonne halfback Guillaume Rouet joins older brother Sébastien and Montauban winger Sébastien Ascarat returns having last played for the team in February.

The Leones will play Brazil in their second test match of the November International Series. A number of changes to the squad are expected to be made for that match with Pau fullback Charly Malié among those set to be made available.

FORWARDS
Jean-Baptiste Custoja (Provence, FR), Fernando López (Ordizia), Beñat Auzqui (Grenoble, FR), Marco Pinto Ferrer (Béziers, FR), Jonathan García (Nevers, FR), Jesús Moreno Rodriguez (Provence, FR), David Barrera (Bressane, FR), Matt Foulds (El Salvador), Carlos Gavidi (Valladolid), Pierre Barthère (Rouen, FR), Gautier Gibouin (Nevers, FR), Lucas Guillaume (Narbonne, FR), Fred Quercy (Nevers, FR), Thibaut Visensang (Tyrosse, FR)

BACKS
David Mélé (Grenoble, FR), Guillaume Rouet (Bayonne, FR), Sébastien Rouet (Narbonne, FR), Mathieu Bélie (Nevers, FR), Álvar Gimeno (Valladolid), Dan Snee (Hawke’s Bay, NZ), Thibaut Álvarez (Aubenas, FR), Fabien Perrin (Bressane, FR), Sébastien Ascarat (Montauban, FR), Federico Casteglioni (Valladolid), Ignacio Contardi (Niort, FR), Brad Linklater (Alcobendas)

FIXTURES
Nov 18 – vs Canada – Estadio Complutense, Madrid
Nov 25 – vs Brazil – Villajoyosa Stadium, Villajoyosa