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Who Will win the 2017 Olimpia de Plata? Three Pumas have been shortlisted for what is the official Argentine Rugby Player of the Year award. The winner will be announced at a ceremony on December 19 at the Microestadio Ricardo Rusticucci in Pilar.
This year’s nominees are flanker Pablo Matera and wingers Emiliano Boffelli and Sebastián Cancelliere.
Matera (Alumni) was Argentina’s stand-out forward in the June Internationals, Rugby Championship and November Internationals. In Super Rugby the overall best performer was between him and second-rower Guido Petti. Few flankers in world rugby are playing at the same level as Matera today.
Boffelli (Duendes) made his debut for Los Pumas this year. He did so a year later than expected. A knee injury in the 2016 Super Rugby season saw him out for 8 months. Upon return he went on to become the starting left winger for Los Jaguares and Los Pumas. He was nominated by World Rugby for the Breakout Player of the Year award.
Cancelliere (Hindú) had a stellar year with his club Hindú and with the Argentina XV. Ultimately he would debut for Argentina in the November Internationals. He would do so not at scrum-half but as a winger. He fit in very well will now go on to be a starting Jaguar in 2018.
The three nominees are different to those from a year ago. In 2016 fly half Nicolás Sánchez, prop Francisco Ferronato and no 8 Facundo Isa were the rugby players selected. Isa won the award. His loss to Argentina in 2017 has been well documented.
In total there are to be 41 different disciplines at the Olimpia de Plata. The most important of them all is the “Deportista del Año”, the “Sportsperson of the Year.” The winner will take home the 2017 Olimpia de Oro. In 2016 tennis player Juan Kartín del Potro was the winner.
Americas Rugby News tips Pablo Matera to win the 2017 rugby Olimpia de Plata.
