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Argentina’s starting props will play in two of the six matches for Los Pumas in the Rugby Championship. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and Francisco Gómez Kodela will only travel to South Africa. They will both then return to their clubs.
Both players started for Argentina in the historic win over New Zealand in 2020. They played for Los Pumas for the duration of the tournament last year. They also both featured in the recent July Internationals. They were rested from the starting line-up against Romania before starting both matches against Wales.
Both players made the decision based on personal grounds. Their non-availability will provide other players with opportunities. Facundo Gigena and Enrique Pieretto were the starting props against Romania. He debuted against Romania and was then a replacement in both tests against Wales while Pieretto missed out through injury.
Gigena was the understudy to Tetaz Chaparro in the Welsh test matches. Santiago Medrano covered for Gómez Kodela from the bench. Both players are on the roster for the entirety of the Rugby Championship.
Tetaz Chaparro has 67 caps. The additional loose head prop options are both uncapped. They are Thomas Gallo and Rodrigo Martínez. In short, there will be players making their test debut for Argentina in the Rugby Championship. Either Gallo or Martínez are assured of game-time.
Pieretto and Gómez Kodela were both replaced by Santiago Medrano in the July Internationals. Medrano started for Argentina at RWC 2019. The three players are half of Mario Ledesma’s tight head props for the 2021 Rugby Championship. The others are Patagonian Juan Pablo Zeiss and uncapped players Carlos Muzzio and Joel Sclavi. Muzzio and Sclavi are both based in France.
☑️ Los pilares Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro y Francisco Gómez Kodela formarán parte del plantel del Zurich Rugby Championship, pero solo para la etapa de Sudáfrica ya que serán liberados de los siguientes partidos debido a cuestiones personales.#VamosLosPumas #Rugby
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) July 31, 2021
