Seven Pumas in Jaguares XV roster for SLAR 2021

Argentina’s entry has named a 41-man roster for the 2021 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby season. Los Jaguares XV will compete in this year’s competition in place of Ceibos. The team is very different to that from 2020, though there are cross-overs from both 2020 SLAR and Super Rugby to SLAR 2021.

Head Coach Ignacio Fernández Lobbe will have an impressive player roster. Seven are capped Pumas. This includes props Javier Díaz, Mayco Vivas, and Juan Pablo Zeiss, back rows Francisco Gorrissen and Javier Ortega Desio, scrumhalf Felipe Ezcurra, and winger Sebastián Cancelliere.

The roster also contains opportunities for young talent. Included are uncapped players who toured Australia in 2020 for the Tri Nations. This is the case of Federico Wegrzyn, Rodrigo Fernández Criado, Juan Martín González, Joaquín Oviedo, and Tomás Albornoz.

The roster does not include Gonzalo Bertranou or Santiago Socino. Both men are finalizing moves to Europe. This is reflected in the roster which has Felipe Ezcurra as one of only two scrumhalves along with youngster Rafael Iriarte, and no senior hookers with Ignacio Ruiz the oldest option at just 20 years old. An additional player per position will be added.

Not available were hooker Leonel Oviedo and No8 Bautista Pedemonte. Both players were seriously injured playing for the Argentina XV against the Chile XV in the South American 4 Nations in October.

FORWARDS
Javier Díaz (Natación y Gimnasia), Francisco Minervino (Luján), Mayco Vivas (CRAR), Federico Wegrzyn (Esquel), Ignacio Ruiz (Regatas Bella Vista), Nicolás Toth (Lomas), Martín Vaca (Jockey Villa María), Beltrán Salese (Newman), Esteban Sciandro (Regatas Bella Vista), Joël Sclavi (Pueyrredón), Juan Pablo Zeiss (Pay Ubre), Tomás Bernasconi (La Plata), Rodrigo Fernández Criado (Sporting), Federico Gutiérrez (Uni San Juan), Franco Molina (Jockey Córdoba), Marcelo Toledo (Regatas Bella Vista), Lautaro Bavaro (Hindú), Juan Martín González (Marista), Francisco Gorrissen (Belgrano), Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel (Deportiva Francesa), Santiago Ruiz (Regatas Bella Vista), Javier Ortega Desio (Estudiantes de Paraná), Joaquín Oviedo (Córdoba Athletic)

BACKS
Felipe Ezcurra (Hindú), Rafael Iriarte (CUBA), Tomás Albornoz (Tucumán RC), Teo Castiglioni (GE Rosario), Martín Elías (Atlético del Rosario), Bautista Farise (Comercial), Juan Pablo Castro (San Juan), Tomás Cubilla (Alumni), Leonardo Gea Salim (Uni Salta), Gerónimo Prisciantelli (CASI), Agustín Segura (Catamarca), Tomás Acosta Pimentel (BACRC), Martín Cancelliere (Hindú), Sebastián Cancelliere (Hindú), Tomás Malanos (Atlético del Rosario), Juan Bautista Daireaux (Newman), Julián Quetglas (La Tablada), Lautaro Sánchez Rubio (Palermo Bajo)