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Juan Figallo will be sidelined until 2019. The Pumas Tight Head was injured playing for Saracens in the English Premiership on Sunday.
Figallo played Rugby Championship matches against South Africa in Durban and Mendoza before returning to England. He played against the Newcastle Falcons, injuring his posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in Saracens’ win. The injury means he is out of rugby for four months.
Figallo had been a stand-out for Argentina in the Rugby Championship. Mario Ledesma obtained his release from Saracens for the opening two rounds. He was one of two Tight Head props sought from Europe, the other being Ramiro Herrera (Stade Français) who is expected to play in Buenos Aires and Salta in rounds five and six.
Replacing Figallo for rounds three and four is Gastón Cortés. The Leicester Tiger joined the roster in New Zealand following the opening round match of the English Premiership. Cortés is the third ‘European’ player selected by Ledesma for the tournament.
Figallo’s injury will see him out of playing for Argentina in the November Internationals. Los Pumas face Ireland, France, and Scotland. As such his next test match will not be until the 2019 Rugby Championship at the earliest. In addition his next club match for Saracens will have to wait until January 2019.
