Uruguay name 25 for Namibia tour

Uruguay will take 25 players on their two-match tour of Namibia next week. While there will be domestic opportunities in the Campeonato Argentino following, these represent the final matches that the team will play prior to the Americas 2 World Cup Qualifying series against Canada in January.

Despite the importance of these matches Los Teros will not be quite at full strength. Unavailable for selection are forwards Mario Sagario, Martín Espiga, and Manuel Leindekar along with star flyhalf Felipe Berchesi and midfielder Juan Manuel Cat. Other notable absentees include halfback Germán Albanell, centre Joaquín Prada, and winger Leandro Leivas.

With Berchesi and Albanell both out it will be Gastón Gibernau or Rodrigo Silva in the No 10 shirt, with Silva the more experienced of the two at test level. Nicolás Freitas could find himself back in the midfield with Cat and Prada out of contention and there will be hot competition for the starting scrumhalf role with rising star Santiago Arata and World Cup starter Agustín Ormaechea both highly rated.

The forwards have a more settled look and it’s World Cup hooker Carlos Arboleya who is drafted in as one of two tighthead props in the absence of Sagario. Juan Manuel Gaminara will captain from his openside flanker position but any of Rodolfo Garese, Gonzalo Soto, and France-based Franco Lamanna could start on the blindside. Alejandro Nieto is another veteran with a fight on his hands as Manuel Diana continues to press for the No 8 position.

A detailed squad list can be seen here.

FORWARDS
Matías Benítez (Champagnat), Mateo Sanguinetti (Los Cuervos), Germán Kessler (Los Cuervos), Carlos Pombo (Old Boys), Carlos Arboleya (Trébol), Juan Echeverría (Old Christians), Diego Ayala (MVCC), Ignacio Dotti (Los Cuervos), Diego Magno (MVCC), Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt., Old Boys), Rodolfo Garese (Carrasco Polo), Franco Lamanna (Mazamet, FR), Gonzalo Soto (Carrasco Polo), Manuel Diana (Old Christians), Alejandro Nieto (Champagnat)

BACKS
Santiago Arata (Old Christians), Agustín Ormaechea (Strasbourg, FR), Gastón Gibernau (Old Boys), Rodrigo Silva (Carrasco Polo), Agustín Della Corte (Trébol), Nicolás Freitas (Carrasco Polo), Andrés Vilaseca (Old Boys), Francisco Berchesi (Carrasco Polo), Federico Favaro (Old Christians), Gastón Mieres (Lobos)

FIXTURES
Nov 18 – vs Namibia – Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Nov 25 – vs Namibia – Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek