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Argentina Head Coach Mario Ledesma has named his World Cup roster and it comes with major surprises. As a player Ledesma competed in RWCs 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011. After retirement he turned to coaching which saw him at RWC 2015 as Australia’s forwards coach. Now in 2019 he is in charge of Los Pumas.
The first surprise is a minor one with Ledesma opting for three hookers. This sees the Jaguares trio of Agustín Creevy, Julián Montoya, and Santiago Socino selected. Of them Socino returned from the Newcastle Falcons in the UK to join Jaguares in June.
The three hookers are joined by five props. Of them four are Jaguares with Juan Figallo being the one based abroad. This sees no place for Ramiro Herrera with Enrique Pieretto instead preferred joining Figallo, and Santiago Medrano as the tight head options.
Marcos Kremer has been selected as a second-rower and flanker. He joins Matías Alemanno, Guido Petti, and Tomás Lavanini as the options for the former position. For the latter Kremer joins Rodrigo Bruni, Tomás Lezana, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Javier Ortega Desio, and captain Pablo Matera.
In a shock selection Bruni has been included in place of Facundo Isa. The decision for this sees the UAR contracted player preferred to the player based abroad. It has also been made due to Ledesma determining Isa to not be in his plans for the starting line-up.
In the backs the first surprise comes at scrum half. There is no place for Martín Landajo while more surprisingly is the non-selection of Gonzalo Bertranou. Instead Ledesma has rewarded Felipe Ezcurra who has had a break-out year as the understudy to Tomás Cubelli. Ledesma also noted that in opting for three hookers there was no place for a third scrum half which saw Bertranou’s injury significantly factoring in.
At fly half Ledesma has opted for just two players. This sees no place for Joaquín Díaz Bonilla nor Domingo Miotti. As such Argentina has selected two French based players in Nicolás Sánchez, and former Top 14 champion, Benjamín Urdapilleta.
The impressive debut of Lucas Mensa at inside center against South Africa has seen him rewarded. He is officially the deputy for Jerónimo de la Fuente. His inclusion comes despite having no prior Super Rugby experience and sees him ahead of Bautista Ezcurra, and Santiago González Iglesias.
Also included is Juan Cruz Mallía. He joins Matías Moroni, and Matías Moroni to give Ledesma with three options for outside center. Mallía also covers both fullback and wing with Moroni also covering the wing position.
In the back-three Argentina will be taking ample options and plenty of fire power. Super Rugby rookie Santiago Carreras is the surprise inclusion with him joining Bautista Delguy, and Ramiro Moyano as the wingers.
Finally at fullback Mallía joins veteran Joaquín Tuculet in addition to the starting player in the position, Emiliano Boffelli. Carreras and Delguy also provide cover though have been selected as wingers.
For a comprehensive look at the Argentine roster and RWC schedule click here.
Argentina’s World Cup campaign will begin against France in Tokyo on Saturday, September 21. Subsequent matches will be against Tonga in Osaka on Saturday, September 28; England in Tokyo on Saturday, October 05; and the USA in Kumagaya on Wednesday, October 05.
ARGENTINA
FORWARDS: Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Jaguares), Mayco Vivas (Jaguares), Agustín Creevy (Jaguares), Julián Montoya (Jaguares), Santiago Socino (Jaguares), Juan Figallo (Saracens, UK), Santiago Medrano (Jaguares), Enrique Pieretto (Jaguares), Matías Alemanno (Jaguares), Tomás Lavanini (Leicester Tigers, UK), Guido Petti (Jaguares), Rodrigo Bruni (Jaguares), Marcos Kremer (Jaguares), Tomás Lezana (Jaguares), Juan Manuel Leguizamón (Jaguares), Pablo Matera (Stade Français, FR), Javier Ortega Desio (Jaguares)
BACKS: Tomás Cubelli (Jaguares), Felipe Ezcurra (Jaguares), Nicolás Sánchez (Stade Français, FR), Benjamín Urdapilleta (Castres, FR), Jerónimo de la Fuente (Jaguares), Juan Cruz Mallía (Jaguares), Lucas Mensa (Pucará), Matías Moroni (Jaguares), Matías Orlando (Jaguares), Bautista Delguy (Jaguares), Ramiro Moyano (Jaguares), Emiliano Boffelli (Jaguares), Santiago Carreras (Jaguares), Joaquín Tuculet (Jaguares)
