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Los Jaguares XV are Argentina’s entry into the 2021 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) season. Los Jaguares XV will compete in this year’s competition in place of Ceibos. The roster will wear the same jerseys as those of Los Jaguares from 2020 Super Rugby. Moreover, the team will play under the same online entities as those from Super Rugby.
The team itself is very different to that from 2020, although 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. Five are capped Pumas. They are prop Juan Pablo Zeiss, flanker Francisco Gorrissen, scrumhalf Felipe Ezcurra, center Santiago Chocobares, and winger Sebastián Cancelliere. All except Cancelliere received gametime for Los Pumas in the 2020 Tri Nations.
The roster also contains opportunities for young talent. Included are uncapped players who also toured Australia in 2020 for the Tri Nations. This is the case of prop Federico Wegrzyn, second-rower Rodrigo Fernández Criado, flanker Juan Martín González, N8 Joaquín Oviedo, and fly half Tomás Albornoz. Oviedo is included with the 57-time capped Puma Javier Ortega Desio having been dropped.
The roster does not include Gonzalo Bertranou or Santiago Socino. Both men recently departed Argentina for Europe. Bertranou joined Pro 14 side the Dragons and Socino joined English Premiership side Gloucester. Both have since made their debuts.
The departure of Bertranou sees Felipe Ezcurra not only now assured of the 9 shirt, but also named as captain. Only he and Rafael Iriarte are listed as scrum-halves. Sebastián Cancelliere will provide cover if required.
Socino’s departure means all capped hookers are now playing abroad. Agustín Creevy missed the Tri Nations, yet he remains in the test frame. Julián Montoya joined him in England in January while Facundo Bosch continues to impress for La Rochelle in France. The loss of Los Jaguares’ senior hooker means that Ignacio Ruiz is the oldest option at just 20 years of age.
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. Loose head prop Mayco Vivas was ruled out late.
Ten additional names were cut from the 30-man roster. They are Nicolás Toth, Esteban Sciandro, Marcelo Toledo, Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel, Bautista Farise, Leonardo Gea Salim, Tomás Acosta Pimentel, Tomás Malanos, Julián Quetglas, Lautaro Sánchez Rubio. All are now on standby, although changes may come in to play for the Montevideo stage of SLAR.
Of the absent names Tomás Malanos is arguably the most noteworthy. He appeared to have been a strong candidate to be a starting winger for Los Jaguares XV. His exclusion points to the thinking of the coaches. It indicates that centers Tomás Cubilla and Agustín Segura are likely to feature outwide. Indeed, Santiago Chocobares and Juan Pablo Castro loom as the starting mid-fielders.
SLAR 2021 – JAGAURES XV ROSTER
FORWARDS
Francisco Minervino (Luján), Federico Wegrzyn (Esquel), Ignacio Ruiz (Regatas Bella Vista), Martín Vaca (Jockey Villa María), Beltrán Salese (Newman), Joel Sclavi (Pueyrredón), Juan Pablo Zeiss (Los Pehuenes), Tomás Bernasconi (La Plata), Rodrigo Fernández Criado (Sporting Mar del Plata), Federico Gutiérrez (Universidad San Juan), Franco Molina (Jockey Córdoba), Lautaro Bavaro (Hindú), Juan Martín González (Marista), Francisco Gorrissen (Belgrano), Santiago Ruiz (Regatas Bella Vista), Joaquín Oviedo (Córdoba Athletic)
BACKS
Felipe Ezcurra (Hindú), Rafael Iriarte (CUBA), Tomás Albornoz (Tucumán RC), Martín Elías (Atlético del Rosario), Teo Castiglioni (GE Rosario), Juan Pablo Castro (San Juan), Santiago Chocobares (Duendes), Gerónimo Prisciantelli (CASI), Agustín Segura (Catamarca), Martín Cancelliere (Hindú), Sebastián Cancelliere (Hindú), Tomás Cubilla (Alumni), Juan Bautista Daireaux (Newman)
