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RWC 2019 is to be historic for Argentina rugby. For the first time in RWC history the majority of the Pumas players selected are not from Buenos Aires. This marks a phenomenal transformation as in RWC 2007 all but four, or 86.6%, of the players were from Buenos Aires. In the inaugural RWC in 1987 15% were not from Buenos Aires.
Head Coach Mario Ledesma was one of the Buenos Aires players at RWC 2007 as too was captain Agustín Pichot. Of the side which opened the tournament against France all but Juan Manuel Leguizamón were from Buenos Aires. Three weeks later the entire starting XV in the win over Ireland were from Buenos Aires.
The transformation which brought out professionalism has been crucial to the rise of players from across the country making it into the test team. The creation of PladAR ensured greater exposure for players and also a decreased dependency on URBA.
For RWC 2019 14 of the 31 players are from Buenos Aires, meaning 17 are not. This represents an absolute majority officially of 54.8% with the remaining 45.2% coming from Buenos Aires.
The 14 players from Buenos Aires are Agustín Creevy (San Luis), Tomás Cubelli (Belgrano Athletic), Bautista Delguy (Pucará), Felipe Ezcurra (Hindú), Tomás Lavanini (Hindú), Pablo Matera (Alumni), Santiago Medrano (Regatas), Lucas Mensa (Pucará), Julián Montoya (Newman), Matías Moroni (CUBA), Guido Petti (San Isidro), Santiago Socino (Los Matreros), Joaquín Tuculet (Los Tilos), Benjamín Urdapilleta (CUBA)
Most of these clubs happen to be among Argentina’s most famous and have produced some of the country’s greatest names. Ignacio Corleto played for CUBA; Gonzalo Quesada, and Martín Scelzo played for Hindú; Marcelo Bosch played for Belgrano Athletic; Diego Albanese, Diego Cash, and Diego Cuesta Silva played for San Isidro; and Marcos Ayerza, and Felipe Contepomi played for Newman.
Not only has the number of players from outside of Buenos Aires become the majority but there is also a broad distribution across positions. In total ten of the players are forwards, and seven are backs.
The forwards are Matías Alemanno (La Tablada, Córdoba), Rodrigo Bruni (Uncas, Tandil), Santiago Carreras (Córdoba Athletic, Córdoba), Juan Figallo (Jockey, Salta), Marcos Kremer (Los Espinillos, Entre Rios), Tomás Lezana (Lawn Tennis, Santiago del Estero), Juan Manuel Leguizamón (Lawn Tennis, Santiago del Estero) Javier Ortega Desio (Estudiantes, Entre Rios), Enrique Pieretto (Córdoba Athletic, Córdoba), Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Camarones / Biguá, Mar del Plata), Mayco Vivas (CRAR, Santa Fé).
The backs are Emiliano Boffelli (Duendes, Rosario), Jerónimo de la Fuente (Duendes, Rosario), Juan Cruz Mallía (Jockey, Córdoba), Ramiro Moyano (Lince, Tucumán), Matías Orlando (Huirapuca, Tucumán), and Nicolás Sánchez (Lawn Tennis, Tucumán).
Movement did take place which saw Leguizamón relocating to Buenos Aires to play for San Isidro. It was form there that he got his call-up to Los Pumas and secured his first professional contract with London Irish. Bruni, Kremer, Ortega Desio, Tetaz Chaparro, and Tetaz Chaparro also all played for URBA clubs.
