Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The World Cup Watch series identifies the players most likely to represent their respective countries at the RWC. This edition marks the first looking towards RWC 2023 in France.
The cycle has begun. It technically started during RWC 2019 with Argentina’s final pool match which was against the USA. The line-up for that match was the only time in which Mario Ledesma rotated players. In his team were players on their way out as well as new faces. ARN believes that line-up to be revealing.
With RWC 2023 four years away it is a cycle wherein Los Pumas will play an estimated 39 test matches. Additional activity for the Argentina XV will see sufficient opportunity for many players who are currently uncapped to have a strong number of 25 or more going into France 2023. As an indicator this description applies to Marcos Kremer who debuted in 2016 and played in all pool games in Japan.
At 22 Kremer is very young. He will be in prime shape for RWC 2023 and he will not be alone. Of those who went to Japan there are three varieties of players – (a) those who will be too old for RWC; (b) those who will be of an appropriate age for selection; and (c) those who are somewhere in between.
It should be noted that given Argentina’s showing at RWC 2019 the official selection policy is for players passing criteria, who are deemed to genuinely be better than Jaguares’ players, is not likely to be retained. Thereby all players are to be considered under a policy matching that of world champions, South Africa.
ARGENTINA
| ## | NAME | CLUB | POS | CAPS |
FIRST CHOICE
| 1 | Mayco Vivas | Jaguares | LH | 8 |
| 2 | Julián Montoya | Jaguares | HK | 59 |
| 3 | Santiago Medrano | Jaguares | TH | 18 |
| 4 | Guido Petti | Jaguares | LO | 53 |
| 5 | Marcos Kremer | Jaguares | LO | 28 |
| 6 | Pablo Matera | Stade Français (FR) | FL | 66 |
| 7 | Facundo Isa | Toulon (FR) | FL | 27 |
| 8 | Juan Bautista Pedemonte | Jaguares | N8 | – |
| 9 | Gonzalo Bertranou | Jaguares | SH | 22 |
| 10 | Domingo Miotti | Jaguares | FH | – |
| 11 | Santiago Carreras | Jaguares | WI | 5 |
| 12 | Patricio Fernández | Lyon (FR) | CE | 2 |
| 13 | Juan Cruz Mallía | Jaguares | CE | 5 |
| 14 | Bautista Delguy | Jaguares | WI | 14 |
| 15 | Emiliano Boffelli | Jaguares | FB | 28 |
The age factor has been put to use. Deemed too old or unlikely based on age are RWC props Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, and Juan Figallo; hooker Agustín Creevy; second-rower Matías Alemanno; back-rowers Juan Manuel Leguizamón, and Javier Ortega Dersio; scrum-half Tomás Cubelli, fly halves Nicolás Sánchez, and Benjamín Urdapilleta; centers Jerónimo de la Fuente, Matías Moroni, Matías Orlando; wing Ramiro Moyano; and Fullback Joaquín Tuculet.
An additional name out of the mix is Tomás Lavanini. For the time being he faces a long wait, or an injury crisis to receive further caps. His move to play in England is a minor factor while his RWC red card is the major one.
The projected front-row is an all-Jaguars combination. Julian Montoya officially became the first choice hooker at RWC 2019 while Juan Figallo’s retirement means Santiago Medrano is the prime candidate for tight-head. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro will be 34 come RWC 2023, one tournament too many for him.
The back-row picture is clouded. Javier Ortega Desio will be 33, and thus unlikely for 2023. Both French-based players Facundo Isa, and Pablo Matera will be 29 and 30, thereby still in their prime. The uncapped Juan Pablo Pedemonte will be 23 in 2023 and is the projected N8.
In the backs Tomás Cubelli misses out based on age. Gonzalo Bertranou will be 29 and looms as the long-term starting 9 ahead of Cubelli for the entirety of the RWC 2019-2023 cycle. Outside him will be a new name at fly half with Domingo Miotti the leading contender.
Centers Jerónimo de la Fuente, Matías Orlando, and Matías Moroni will all be 32 and thereby are likely to lose their spots in the side before 2023. Lucas Mensa, and Santiago Chocobares are well placed though the likelihood of a second play-maker at inside center sees Patricio Fernández named as the projected starter.
Outside Fernández is Juan Cruz Mallía. His game against the USA was arguably the best in a Pumas 13 shirt during the RWC 2015-2019 cycle. He is projected to overtake Orlando, and Moroni as the starting 13 within one year.
In the back-three Bautista Delguy and Santiago Carreras have a great future ahead of them and loom as the starting wingers with Emiliano Boffelli holding down the fullback spot.
REPLACEMENTS
| 16 | Santiago Socino | Jaguares | HK | 1 |
| 17 | Facundo Gigena | Leicester Tigers (UK) | LH | – |
| 18 | Lucio Sordoni | Jaguares | TH | 2 |
| 19 | Lucas Bur | Jockey Rosario | LO | – |
| 20 | Santiago Grondona | Jaguares | FL | – |
| 21 | Gonzalo García | Natacion y Gimnasia | SH | – |
| 22 | Lucas Mensa | Jaguares | CE | 2 |
| 23 | Ignacio Mendy | Los Pumas 7’s | FB | – |
The projected replacements Santiago Socino, and Lucas Mensa as the only returnees from RWC 2019. Mensa played one match while Socino was unused. Of the remaining names only Lucio Sordoni is capped. This underlines the extent of the likely changes over the RWC cycle.
Facundo Gigena is named due to Vivas being the only loose head prop at Jaguares in 2020 who is also expected to be in the mix for 2023. Gigena has been progressing well in the English Premiership and will be 29 come RWC 2023.
The other players named on the bench are not only uncapped but are also missing from Los Jaguares’ roster. They are young players expected to breakthrough over the coming years.
TRAVELING RESERVES
| 24 | Pablo Dimcheff | Jaguares XV | HK | – |
| 25 | Enrique Pieretto | Exeter Chiefs (UK) | TH | 24 |
| 26 | Lucas Paulos | Jaguares | LO | – |
| 27 | Santiago Montagner | Jaguares | N8 | – |
| 28 | Tomás Lezana | Jaguares | FL | 38 |
| 29 | Nicolás Roger | Santiago Lawn Tennis | FH | – |
| 30 | Santiago Chocobares | Jaguares | CE | – |
| 31 | Mateo Carreras | Jaguares | WI / FB | – |
The traveling reserves are names primarily selected to cover knocks of the first choice players and the replacements. Their secondary function is to start in a match against a Tier 2 side is rotation is desired.
Two of them are capped with the remainder being rookie Jaguares in 2020 or players from the u20s in 2019. They are more likely to be Pumas in 2023 than current players including Agustín Creevy, Matías Alemanno, Javier Ortega Desio, Nicolás Sánchez, Jerónimo de la Fuente, and Joaquín Tuculet.
NON-TRAVELING RESERVES
| 32 | Facundo Bosch | La Rochelle (FR) | HO | 1 |
| 33 | Nicolás Solveyra | CUBA | LH | – |
| 34 | Thomas Gallo | Universitario | TH | – |
| 35 | Ignacio Callas | Jaguares | LO | – |
| 36 | Francisco Gorrissen | Jaguares | FL | – |
| 37 | Felipe Ezcurra | Jaguares | SH | 8 |
| 38 | Tomás Albornoz | Jaguares | FH | – |
| 39 | Juan Pablo Castro | Jaguares | CE | – |
| 40 | Matías Moroni | Jaguares | CE | 47 |
| 41 | Axel Muller | Brive (FR) | WI | – |
| 42 | Santiago Cordero | Bordeaux (FR) | FB | 35 |
Facundo Bosch is six years younger than Agustín Creevy. He and Tomás Baravalle are names to consider for hooker. Nicolás Solveyra, and Thomas Gallo are leading names from the next generation of props. ARN believes that they will be Jaguares sooner rather than later.
The remaining names are all contracted to elite teams. Of them Matías Moroni is the only non-traveling reserve on the list who played at RWC 2019. At 32 RWC 2023 will be a stretch.
A complete list of the Argentina’s senior player pool can be seen here.
