Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Los Jaguares XV have added two medical jokers to their roster. Tomás Malanos and Pedro Rubiolo join the team in Montevideo, replacing Beltrán Salese and Santiago Ruiz. Both Salese and Ruiz have returned to Argentina following their injuries on Sunday while playing against Os Cobras.
Ruiz was injured in what was his first match of the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) season. He missed out on the first half of the season in Chile. The bad luck got worse for the flanker who came on as a second half replacement only to suffer a serious injury. He will now require knee surgery; he suffered a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament and the external meniscus of his right knee.
Like Ruiz, Salese will play no further part in the SLAR season. He will, however, be back playng again much earlier that Ruiz. The hooker suffered a fractured metatarsal in his left foot.
The vacancies on Los Jaguares XV roster have not strictly followed the positions of Santiago Ruiz and Beltrán Salese. Tomás Malanos is a center or wing. From Atlétido del Rosario, the former Pumita was on the original roster only to be cut from the squad of 30 which went to Chile. Malanos is a former Pumita who impressed for Argentina at the Junior World Championship.
Pedro Rubiolo is a newcomer. His natural position is flanker, though he is also being groomed as a potential second-rower. There have been comparisons between the teenager and Marcos Kremer. Rubiolo comes from Círculo Rafaelino de Rugby (CRAR) in Santa Fé province.
Rubiolo was a stand-out performer for Argentina u18’s in the 2019 South American u18 Championship in Paraguay. He was identified there are a player of potential. He is noted for his ball-carrying and his work-rate.
Both Malanos and Rubiolo are presently in quarentine in Montevideo. They will join Los Jaguares XV to prepare for upcoming SLAR matches.
