Spain make changes to roster for Canada

Spain have been forced to make a handful of changes to their squad in preparation for their match against Canada in Madrid this coming Saturday. This will be the first match for the Leones in November, with a second against Brazil following next weekend.

Dropping out of the squad due to injury are scrumhalf David Mélé and outside back Federico Casteglioni. Jean-Baptiste Custoja is also out while Julen Goia, Bastien Fuster, and Javier Carrión have withdrawn after only joining up with the squad late last week.

Beñat Auzqui will now cover loosehead prop with experienced hooker Juan Anaya called up. Second row Victor Sanchez also arrives along with three backs in Raphael Blanco, Inaki Mateu, and Joan Losada.

Mateu is a native of Argentina and won his first cap for Spain against his home country in the Nations Cup earlier this year having previously represented the Pumitas u20s. Both Blanco and Losada are uncapped, the latter part of Spain’s Olympic 7s team in 2016.

FORWARDS
Beñat Auzqui (Grenoble, FR), Fernando López (Ordizia), Juan Anaya (Alcobendas), 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), Víctor Sánchez (El Salvador), Pierre Barthère (Rouen, FR), Gautier Gibouin (Nevers, FR), Lucas Guillaume (Narbonne, FR), Fred Quercy (Nevers, FR), Thibaut Visensang (Tyrosse, FR)

BACKS
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), Raphaël Blanco (El Salvador), Joan Losada (Barcelona), Iñaki Mateu (Alcobendas), Fabien Perrin (Bressane, FR), Sébastien Ascarat (Montauban, FR), Ignacio Contardi (Niort, FR), Brad Linklater (Alcobendas)