Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Perpignan have signed Patricio Fernández from Lyon. The Pro D2 club have secure the services of the Argentine back on a long-term deal. Fernández departs Lyon, whom he joined in 2019 from Clermont.
The move is set to be made official and it has been reported by Le Progrès. It means that the Rosario fly half will remain in the country where his professional career began. Due to his age upon arrival in France and his time in the academy, Fernández qualifies as a JIFF player. This important distinction makes him valuable as it moves limitations of the number of foreign players in a lineup.
Fernández has over 60 appearances in the Top 14. He made his Top 14 debut in 2015 for Clermont vs La Rochelle. Two years later he was a French champion with Clermont in 2017. He won the Top 14 final that year against Toulon.
His move to Perpignan will see him joining forces with fellow Argentine and Rosario player Jerónimo de la Fuente. The players are two notable recruits to compete the mission of returning to the Top 14. Perpignan and Vannes are presently the top two teams. Vannes recently signed Rodrigo Bruni from Los Jaguares.
Perpignan have signed Fernández as a medical joker. He covers Matteo Rodor who suffered a season-ending injury. However, Fernández joins with the option of remaining until 2023.
The offer was different to that of Montpellier. The Top 14 side was reportedly interested in Fernández for the remainder of the 2020-2021 season. Montpellier lost Springbok Handré Pollard for the season and Ben Vulavula is out for ten weeks.
Fernández has played at fly half, fullback and inside center in the Top 14. He is a natural fly half, though he was a utility option well before moving to France. He made his test debut against Chile at fly half in 2013. The then 19-year-old faced Brazil at fullback for his second cap three days later.
His long wait for a third test cap may well be close to being realized. The UAR has ended the selection policy of promoting the selection of home-based players over those abroad. All four fly halves to have played for Los Pumas in 2019 or 2020 play abroad. They are Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, Domingo Miotti, Nicolás Sánchez, and Benjamín Urdapilleta.
