Chile name squad for Argentina XV friendly

Chile will play a friendly against the Argentina XV on Wednesday, January 23, at the home of CASI in Buenos Aires. The match will serve as a warm-up for the two sides ahead of the Americas Rugby Championship. They will meet again formally in the final round on March 9 in Santiago.

Pablo Lemoine has named his match day squad with eight uncapped players in the 23, including all four props. Javier Carrasco, Francisco Pizarro, and Nicolás Ovalle were part of the training squad in November for the match against the Sudamérica XV. Pizarro was selected as a hooker then but is included as a loosehead prop now. The fourth new prop is 25-year-old Uni Católica tighthead Matias Dittus.

Junior Cóndores graduate Javier Eissmann will again hope to win his first cap in the ARC, the tallest man in the squad at 2.01m (6’7″). Midfielder Gonzalo Lara and fullback Christian Huerta are also age-grade internationals earning their first senior appearance.

Of interest is the selection of Jaden Laing in the midfield. At 113kg (250lbs) he is an imposing figure who played both centre and prop for Davenport University this past year. Born and raised in Australia, the 22-year-old qualifies for Chile due to his mother who is from Santiago.

Laing is the only player currently based outside of Chile with others possibly joining when the official ARC window opens in a week’s time. There is one other with recent experience overseas in veteran flyhalf Francisco González Moller who has returned from another stint in Australia.

FORWARDS
Javier Carrasco (Old Reds), Matías Dittus (Uni Catolica), Nicolás Ovalle (Old Boys), Francisco Pizarro (Viña), Augusto Böhme (Uni Católica), Tomás Dussaillant (Old Boys), Bastián Burguener (Sporting), Javier Eissmann (Uni Católica), Clemente Saavedra (Old Boys), Alfonso Escobar (COBS), Eduardo Orpis (COBS), Javier Richard (COBS), Martín Sigren (Old Boys)

BACKS
Juan Pablo Larenas (Uni Católica), Domingo Saavedra (Old Boys), Francisco González Moller (Sporting), Santiago Videla (Old Boys), Vicente Ayarza (Old Boys), Jaden Laing (Davenport Panthers, US), Gonzalo Lara (COBS), Tomás Ianiszewski (Old Locks), José Ignacio Larenas (Uni Católica), Christian Huerta (Stade Francais)