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Former Pumas prop Francisco Gomez Kodela has signed a new two year deal with Lyon. The 32-year-old Tight Head prop is one of seven current players to have recently signed extensions with the Top 14 club.
Those to have signed contract extensions are Francisco Gomez Kodela (2 years), Albertus Buckle (1 year), Liam Gill (3 years), Julien Puricelli (1 year), Thibaut Regard (3 years), Rudy Wulf (1 year + additional year option), Alexis Palisson (2 years + additional year option). Pierre-Louis Barassi signed a contract for the espoirs (2 years).
The club has also unveiled the arrival of four new players. Raphaël Chaume (4 years), Patrick Sobela (2 years), Jean-Marc Doussain (3 years) and Noa Nakaitaci (5 years) are to all join for the 2018-2019 season.
After 10 rounds of the 2017-2018 season Lyon is well positioned. So much so that the club has had a virtual dream start to the competition. It sits in second position on 33 competition points, behind only Montpellier. Last season’s champions, Clermont, are in 9th position on 23 points.
Gomez Kodela has been playing professional rugby in France for seven years. He has amassed more than 150 matches playing for three clubs. The first of his clubs was Biarritz for whom he played for from 2011-2014. In 2014 he moved to Bordeaux while in 2016 he began playing for Lyon.
In total Gomez Kodela has made more than 150 club appearances at the elite level. He is also capped by Argentina, albeit has not played a match under the Daniel Hourcade regime. He earned 11 test caps from 2008-2013. These included starts against Chile, France, Italy and Uruguay. His most recent opportunity was in the June 2013 Internationals.
Under Argentine policy players based in Europe are not eligible for international honors. Under different circumstances it is plausible that Gomez Kodela would currently be with the roster preparing to face Ireland this coming weekend. His performances in the Top 14 make him among the best scrummaging props in the competition.
