Pumas 2021: Missing XV

Mario Ledesma’s Pumas roster for 2021 is big. It contains 67 players, a reflection of the options available for international duty. There are enough players to field four starting line-ups. This is also true per position with at least four players per position included.

The roster was comprehensive, though there were names who did miss out. Of those not included one has confirmed that Ledesma wanted to include him but the UAR prevented this posibility. The non-inclusion of Brive winger Axel Muller is a point of controversy. His gametime and performances in the 2020-2021 season demonstrate that he deserves an opportunity.

Muller is the big missing name from France. Another is Mariano Galarza who, unlike Muller, is capped. Additional names can be identified in France as well as in England, Italy and in both Major League Rugby (MLR) and the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). Finally, there are names involved with Los Pumas 7’s who would certainly have been named if available. Two of them are listed below in Los Pumas 2021: Missing XV.

PUMAS 2021: MISSING XV

1 Nicolás Solveyra (Houston SaberCats, USA)
2 Tomás Baravalle (Benetton, Italy)
3 Eduardo Bello (Zebre, Italy)
4 Mariano Galarza (Bayonne, France)
5 Franco Molina (Jaguares XV)
6 Tomás de la Vega (Toronto Arrows, Canada)
7 Lucas Santa Cruz (Olímpia Lions, Paraguay)
8 Conrado Roura (Peñarol, Uruguay)
9 Martín Landajo (Harlequins, England)
10 Martín Roger (Peñarol, Uruguay)
11 Manuel Montero (Toronto Arrows, Canada)
12 Bautista Ezcurra (Rugby ATL, USA)
13 Lucio Cinti (Argentina 7’s)
14 Axel Muller (Brive, France)
15 Ignacio Mendy (Argentina 7’s)