Team of the Week

The European season is winding down but thankfully we have the arrival Major League Rugby to celebrate this weekend. We were wondering where the North Americans are after Argentina almost swept the board in selections this week. A big win for the Jaguares over the Rebels helped and also some standout players in the Nacional de Clubes.

1 – Juan Figallo (Saracens) Played at his preferred tighthead but ‘Chipi’ is a versatile player so we’re pulling him over to the left side of the scrum. At 30 years of age Figallo remains in his prime and an outstanding performance against Bath puts him on the top of the list of overseas players set to be recalled to the Pumas following their imminent change in selection policy.

2 – José Escuti (Tala) He’s not likely to be in contention for an international selection given his lack of size, but at club level he is a tidy operator and only in his mid-20’s still has plenty of time ahead of him. He wriggled over for his team’s first try in the narrow win over Natación.

3 – Gastón Cortes (Bristol) A tip of the cap to Dino Waldren who scored another try for London Scottish. The man of the hour is Cortes, who played his last game in a Bristol jersey at Ashton Gate on the weekend and made it a memorable one, scoring just a couple minutes into the match against Doncaster. His delight at lifting the Championship trophy was there for all to see at the final whistle.

4 – Guido Petti (Jaguares) Just when it looked like he might be left behind by bigger men he came up with a top notch performance against the Rebels. Perhaps best known for his engine on offense, his lineout performance was remarkable and just as impressive was his defensive output.

5 – Brett Beukeboom (Cornish Pirates) The token North American selection in a sea of Southerners! A full 80-minute effort at the coalface as he helped Pirates to their sixth consecutive win and bumped them to within one point of Bedford for 3rd on the table with one round to go.

6 – Pablo Matera (Jaguares) A road win over the Rebels is exactly what the doctor ordered and the captain was at the forefront again. He made huge dents with his carrying and was faultless in defense with numerous tackles and at least one turnover.

7 – Marcos Kremer (Jaguares) Didn’t quite have the impact as his flanker partner going forward though he did make some hard yards. On the other side of the ball he was immense, however, putting his shoulder into Rebel after Rebel to secure the win.

8 – Benjamín Bonasso (Newman) A surprise exclusion from last year’s World Rugby u20 Championship squad having featured prominently in Pumitas age-grade sides previously. His athleticism was on full display against Los Tarcos with a try in a game his team should have won.

9 – Martín Landajo (Jaguares) In danger of losing his spot for both club and country, he delivered a fine effort when it was needed most to guide his team to victory. His distribution was strong but he tested the fringes often and found success on a couple occasions.

10 – Benjamín Urdapilleta (Castres) AJ MacGinty had a good game for Sale but couldn’t quite steer them to victory over Newcastle. Urdapilleta on the other hand was in complete control as they secured a wonderful road win over La Rochelle to put them into post-season contention. He added a drop goal to three penalties and two conversions for 16 points in all from the boot.

11 – Santiago Cordero (Exeter Chiefs) His exile from Argentina is set to continue for another season and it’s no surprise given the impact he’s had since his arrival in January. It was another impressive outing for the mazy runner, stepping past numerous Irish defenders in the blowout win.

12 – Nicolás de Battista (Cornish Pirates) In his second-to-last match for Pirates he followed up his hat-trick performance of last week with another try-scoring effort against Bedford. El capitán will move to Italy next season to play for Zebre in the Guinness Pro Championship. Jerónimo de la Fuente also had a strong game for the Jaguares.

13 – Mateo Carreras (Los Tarcos) Write his name down. Just 19 years old, this fella is rapid! He will play wing for the Pumitas u20s this year and can also play fullback. He tore up the field at outside centre on the weekend scoring two tries in the draw with Newman.

14 – Ramiro Moyano (Jaguares) One try scored in a match that saw him beat nearly every opponent he faced at one point in the game. Nine times players were left reaching for his ankles. It’s a major statement of intent with youngster Bautista Delguy breathing down his neck.

15 – Juan Imhoff (Racing 92) The team wasn’t up to par but the Argentine speedster certainly was. His counter-attacking almost single-handedly kept Racing in the game against Toulouse, with Imhoff grabbing a try late in the game as a consolation reward.