World Cup Watch – Uruguay – October 30, 2018

Los Teros continue to make strides and now have something new to look forward to – Major League Rugby. It’s likely only a temporary home but several Uruguayans will take part in the 2019 season in an effort to expose their top domestic players to a more meaningful club competition. Four players have already signed up and nine more were on display during the recent Rugby Americas combine in Glendale.

Selection-wise since our first real-time look at the side in June we have seen the Nations Cup and Americas Pacific Challenge, and on Monday the 26-man roster for their November tour was released. There hasn’t been much change to the first choice side but the debate is heating up for a couple spots and there are certainly some World Cup spots that have required updating.

 

URUGUAY

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NAME

CLUB

POS

CAPS

 

FIRST CHOICE

1	Mateo Sanguinetti	Los Cuervos	LH	53
2	Germán Kessler	Los Cuervos	HO	40
3	Mario Sagario	Carrasco Polo	TH	71
4	Ignacio Dotti	New Orleans Gold (US)	LO	38
5	Rodrigo Capó Ortega	Castres (FR)	LO	41
6	Juan Manuel Gaminara (c)	Old Boys	FL	57
7	Franco Lamanna	Perugia (IT)	FL	42
8	Alejandro Nieto	Champagnat	N8	62
9	Santiago Arata	Houston SaberCats (US)	SH	30
10	Felipe Berchesi	Dax (FR)	FH	29
11	Nicolás Freitas	Carrasco Polo	WI / CE	26
12	Andrés Vilaseca	Austin Elite (US)	CE	45
13	Juan Manuel Cat	Old Boys	CE / FH	20
14	Leandro Leivas	Old Christians	WI	71
15	Rodrigo Silva	Carrasco Polo	FB / FH	51

There are no changes to the above but there is room for debate on at least two positions. Franco Lamanna has yet to return from injury and is now under considerable pressure from emerging loose forwards Manuel Diana and Leandro Segredo. For the time being we will leave Lamanna as is.

Scrumhalf is the most contentious spot. Santiago Arata is in sparkling form and fully justifies his place as first choice. That said Agustín Ormaechea is also playing well, having returned to Mont-de-Marsan, and captaining the side for the first time last month. Their battle for the starting shirt will be fascinating in the coming months.

 

REPLACEMENTS

16	Carlos Pombo	Old Boys	HO	12
17	Matías Benitez	Champagnat	LH	30
18	Juan Echeverría	Austin Elite (US)	TH	42
19	Manuel Leindekar	Oyonnax (FR)	LO	8
20	Manuel Diana	Old Christians	N8 / FL	14
21	Agustín Ormaechea	Mont-de-Marsan (FR)	SH	41
22	Joaquín Prada	Los Cuervos	CE	45
23	Gastón Mieres	Lobos	WI / FB	62

Same again for the replacements list. Diana is pushing hard for a starting role and has, at the very least, all but secured his spot in the match day 23. On the other hand Carlos Pombo is far from locked in as the reserve hooker. Facundo Gattas is back in favor and the new kid on the block – Manuel Ardao – could yet force his way in if he adapts quickly to the front row after beginning his transition from flanker in the Americas Pacific Challenge.

 

TRAVELING RESERVES

24	Facundo Gattas	Hindú (AR)	LH / HO	19
25	Juan Rombys	Trébol	TH	22
26	Diego Magno	MVCC	LO / FL	84
27	Leandro Segredo	Old Christians	FL	2
28	Juan Diego Ormaechea	Carrasco Polo	N8 / FL	24
29	Tomás Inciarte	Old Christians	SH / CE	4
30	Agustín Della Corte	Trébol	CE	6
31	Federico Favaro	Old Christians	WI	21

Already we see five changes to our traveling squad composition. Gattas covers both loosehead and hooker, invaluable at a World Cup. He spent the season playing for Argentine club powerhouse Hindú in the URBA top division. Juan Rombys has returned from exile to claim the third tighthead spot. Carlos Arboleya and Felipe Inciarte are the ones to drop out.

In the back row Segredo and Juan Diego Ormaechea are on a hot streak with Rodolfo Garese and Gonzalo Soto Mera slipping down the pecking order. Counting against Ormaechea is his lack of lineout height, which could yet see Garese or Soto Mera vaulted back into contention.

Tomas Inciarte’s recent success as a midfielder virtually guarantees his position on the touring list. Similarly both Juan Manuel Cat and Rodrigo Silva are now seen as flyhalf cover, meaning Germán Albanell is not required and the in-form Federico Favaro jumps up into the main squad.

 

NON-TRAVELING RESERVES

32	Manuel Ardao	Old Christians	HO / FL	–
33	Guillermo Pujadas	Champagnat	LH / TH	–
34	Felipe Inciarte	Old Christians	TH / LH	5
35	Diego Ayala	MVCC	LO	18
36	Rodolfo Garese	Carrasco Polo	FL	12
37	Gonzalo Soto Mera	Carrasco Polo	N8 / FL	19
38	Joaquín Alonso	Old Boys	SH	–
39	Andrés De León	Old Christians	FH	3
40	Gastón Gibernau	Old Boys	CE / WI	16
41	Ignacio García	PSG	WI	1
42	Manuel Blengio	Old Christians	FB	18

Ardao’s switch to hooker is the most interesting change here. As a flanker his size – or lack thereof – counted against him. At hooker his athleticism is a big positive. If he can add 4-5kg (10lbs) and become at least capable in the set piece he could yet make the World Cup. His next test will be on the November tour with Los Teros.

Inciarte remains in the picture thanks to his versatility, and while Arboleya is now pushed out by younger players he cannot be ruled out just yet. Garese and Soto Mera, will be hoping a recall for the Americas Rugby Championship is on the cards to push their case.

Another notable inclusion is Joaquin Alonso at scrumhalf. He has largely been a sevens specialist until recently and came through his litmus test in the APC. Guillermo Lijtenstein drops out though he remains an experienced alternative. Albanell is missing completely as Andrés De León is now ahead of him as a goal-kicking flyhalf option. Taking the vacancy from Favaro’s promotion is Ignacio García who impressed in the APC.

 

A complete list of Uruguay’s senior player pool can be seen here.