Argentina XV name short list to face Brazil

Ignacio Fernández Lobbe has nominated a list of 26 players to prepare for the Argentina XV‘s opening match of the Americas Rugby Championship against Brazil on Saturday. The squad will be captained by flanker Lautaro Bavaro, who returns for a fourth straight ARC tournament.

There are 11 players included who have yet to make their ARC debut. Prop Marco Ciccioli is one of them, and also among three players in the squad who did not play against Chile last Wednesday.

Hooker Gaspar Baldunciel and loose forward Nicolás Sbrocco each appeared for the Jaguares against Uruguay on Thursday. Second row Franco Molina and fullback Santiago Carreras had earlier been released by the Super Rugby side.

Two players have won senior caps for Los Pumas, both scrumhalves. Felipe Ezcurra and Gregorio del Prete add experience to a very young backline that includes a number of recent Pumitas graduates such as midfielders Teo Castiglioni and Agustín Segura.

Saturday’s match will be played at Neuquén Rugby Club with kickoff set for 5pm local time, 3pm Eastern.

FORWARDS
Marco Ciccioli (CASI), Javier Corvalán (Deportiva Francesa), Lucas Favre (Lomas), Martín Fernández Segurotti (Curupaytí), Nicolás Solveyra (CUBA), Gaspar Baldunciel (Alumni), Axel Zapata (SITAS), Franco Molina (Jockey Córdoba), Carlos Repetto (Hindú), Jerónimo Ureta (Newman), Lautaro Bavaro (capt., Hindú), Francisco Gorrissen (Belgrano), Benito Ortíz de Rosas (CUBA), Santiago Portillo (Los Tarcos), Nicolás Sbrocco (Uni Tucumán)

BACKS
Gregorio del Prete (San Luis), Felipe Ezcurra (Hindú), Martín Elías (Atlético del Rosario), Martín Roger (CASI), Teo Castiglioni (GE Rosario), Lucas Mensa (Pucará), Agustín Segura (Jockey Córdoba), Julián Domínguez (Pucará), Matías Osadczuk (SITAS), Santiago Carreras (Córdoba Athletic), Facundo Cordero (Regatas Bella Vista)