The Melbourne Rebels have signed Argentine lock Ignacio Calás. As such, an additional Argentine player has secured his playing future abroad. The Córdoba second-rower joins the Australian Super Rugby franchise from Los Jaguares.
The move is a unique situation in that Calás’ games for Los Jaguares were not in Super Rugby. His official Super Rugby debut is now set to be for an Australian franchise.
The 24-year-old joins the Melbourne Rebels. The team has recently lost Esei Ha’angana to the Panasonic Wild Knights, Gideon Koegelenberg to Kurita Water Gush, and Wallaby Matt Philip to Pau. Calás gives the roster four locks. He joins Josh Canham, Steve Cummins, and Trevor Hosea.
Calás and the Melbourne Rebels will play in Australia’s 2021 Super Rugby competition and the Trans-Tasman competition against New Zealand’s franchises.
The move means that Los Jaguares’ 2020 players exodus continues. Ignacio Calás follows fellow second-rowers in departing. Matías Alemanno now plays for Gloucester, Marcos Kremer for Stade Français, Lucas Paulos plays for Brive, and Guido Petti plays for Stade Français.
Meanwhile, Western Australia’s franchise the Western Force four Jaguares for 2021. They are flanker Tomás Lezana, tight head prop Santiago Medrano, scrum-half Tomás Cubelli and fly half Domingo Miotti.
Calás is a product of Club La Tablada. The Córdoba club also produced Matías Alemanno and former Pumas 7’s captain Gastón Revol. In addition, former Italian RWC players Gonzalo Canale, Pablo Canavosio, Diego Domínguez, and Ramiro Pez were all La Tablada players.