Argentina XV Head Coach Ignacio Fernández Lobbe has named the player roster for 2019. The former Puma confirmed a 37-man squad for the pre-season.
The Argentina XV will begin their year with the Americas Rugby Championship (ARC). The competition is to see internationals against Brazil, Canada, Chile, Uruguay, and the USA. All five are to field their respective test teams with the Argentina XV being unique in being the national ‘next of XV’.
Among the 37 names included is Felipe Ezcurra. The scrum-half is back in Argentina following three months in England as a medical joker for the Leicester Tigers.
The roster contains 20 newcomers and 17 with prior experience playing for the Argentina XV. Among the new names are Pumitas and players to have stood out in being noticed by their respective PladAR academies.
Notably missing from the roster are Rodrigo Bruni, Sanitago Carreras, Santiago Grondona, Lucio Sordoni, and Marcos Vivas. All toured with Los Pumas in November despite not having Jaguares experience.
Additional notable absentees are Gaspar Baldunciel, Diego Fortuny, Ignacio Larrague, Domingo Miotti, Franco Molina, and Santiago Montagner. All have been heavily present in Argentina XV selections in the past. Their non-selection implies probable involvement with Los Jaguares in 2019.
ARGENTINA XV ROSTER
Forwards: Lautaro Bavaro, Ignacio Calas, Marco Ciccioli, Javier Corvalán, Joaquín de la Vega, Lucas Favre, Martín Fernández Segurotti, José Luis González, Francisco Gorrissen, Joaquín Lerche, Benito Ortiz de Rozas, Juan Manuel Pittinari, Santiago Portillo, Carlos Repetto, Lucas Santa Cruz, Nicolás Sbrocco, Nicolás Solveyra, Jeremías Tarter, Agustín Toth, Jerónimo Ureta, Nicolás Walker, Axel Zapata
Backs: Pablo Avellaneda, Teo Castiglioni, Facundo Cordero, Tomás Cubilla, Facundo Cúcolo, Gregorio del Prete, Julián Domínguez, Martín Elías, Felipe Ezcurra, Lucas Mensa, Manuel Nogués, Matías Osadczuk, Martín Roger, Agustín Segura, Pedro Soto