Argentina name Training Squad for ARC

Lautaro Bavaro is in line to captain the Argentina XV once again in the upcoming Americas Rugby Championship. The Hindú flanker is one of 40 players named in a squad to begin training in Buenos Aires on January 15 in preparation for their opening match against the USA on February 3. Felipe Contepomi heads up the coaching staff once again alongside Ignacio Fernández Lobbe and Diego Ternavasio.

With a handful of players graduating to the Jaguares squad there are a number of new names set to debut for the senior ‘A’ side. Former Pumitas front rowers Javier Diaz and Diego Fortuny get the call and there are five tighthead props named including newcomers Lucas Favre, Nicolas Leiva, and Juan Pablo Zeiss. The selection of Leiva caps a remarkable year for the 24-year-old who had only made the switch from hooker for Hindú in August.

Second rows Diego Galetto and Jeronimo Ureta are set to make their ARC debuts though both were part of the Sudamérica Rugby Cup squad. Eight loose forwards have been named with Tomás de la Vega the only forward with Pumas caps and one first timer in Tucumán flanker Nicolás Sbrocco.

All three scrumhalves have yet to appear in the ARC though Gregorio del Prete has one Pumas cap to his name as a replacement against Uruguay in 2015. The midfield features a trio of new players with Lucas Mensa, Santiago Resino, and Tomás Videla named, the latter having played for Guanabara in the Brazilian Super 7s. Tomás Malanos earns a call-up from the Pumitas and Pumas 7s cap Gastón Arias joins the squad as a fullback.

FORWARDS
Franco Brarda (Tala), Javier Díaz (Natación y Gimnasia), Francisco Ferronato (Belgrano), Gaspar Baldunciel (Alumni), Diego Fortuny (Uni Salta), Axel Zapata (SITAS), Benjamín Espinal (Belgrano), Lucas Favre (Lomas), Nicolás Leiva (Hindú), Santiago Medrano (Regatas Bella Vista), Juan Pablo Zeiss (Los Matreros), Diego Galetto (Urú Curé), Ignacio Larrague (CASI), Franco Molina (Jockey Córdoba), Jerónimo Ureta (Newman), Lautaro Bavaro (Hindú), Rodrigo Bruni (San Luis), Tomás de la Vega (CUBA), Francisco Gorrissen (Belgrano), Santiago Montagner (Alumni), Santiago Portillo (Los Tarcos), Mariano Romanini (Alumni), Nicolás Sbrocco (Uni Tucumán)

BACKS
Gregorio del Prete (San Luis), Luca Magnasco (Alumni), Facundo Nogueira (Marabunta), Martín Elías (Atlético del Rosario), Juan Cruz González (CUBA), Tomás Granella (Liceo Cuyo), Juan Cappiello (Pucará), Juan Cruz Mallía (Jockey Córdoba), Lucas Mensa (Pucará), Santiago Resino (Uni Tucumán), Tomás Videla (Liceo Cuyo), Rodrigo Etchart (SIC), Tomás Malanos (Atlético del Rosario), Julián Domínguez (Pucará), Germán Schulz (Tala), Gastón Arias (SIC), Bautista Delguy (Pucará)