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Preparations for the 2020 Super Rugby campaign continue. Argentine side, Los Jaguares continues to make required alterations to the player roster due to the departure of players. The latest newcomer is flanker Santiago Grondona who joins on a three-year deal.
Grondona has gone through the national system. He played for Argentina in the U20 Championship from which he was called-up to Los Pumas by Mario Ledesma. He would tour Europe in November 2018 but did so strictly as a tourist who remains uncapped.
In 2019 Grondona played for the Jaguares XV in the Currie Cup First Division and also received game time for the Argentina XV. He was in the team which defeated Uruguay in the RWC 2019 warm-up match in Montevideo last month.
For the match Grondona was joined by numerous Jaguares players. They were props Juan Pablo Zeiss and Lucio Sordoni; second-rower Lucas Paulos; fellow flanker and new Jaguares signing Bautista Pedemonte; scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou; and winger Sebastián Cancelliere.
For Los Jaguares’ 2020 campaign Gonzalo Quesada will be without Santiago García Botta, Martín Landajo, Tomás Lavanini, and Pablo Matera. All have moved to play in Europe. In addition Juan Manuel Leguizamón retired from Los Pumas last week, meaning his retention as a Jaguar will not occur.
Grondona and Pedemonte are cover for Matera and Leguizamón. There are likely to be others to join the remaining 2019 back-rowers Rodrigo Bruni, Marcos Kremer, Francisco Gorrissen, Tomás Lezana, and Javier Ortega Desio.
The 21-year-old Grondona has signed until the end of 2022. He is the third new signature following Pedemonte and winger Mateo Carreras.
