Pumas lose four to injury for November Tour

Argentina has been hit with the loss of four players for the November Internationals. Second-rower Matías Alemanno, No8 Rodrigo Bruni, loose head prop Facundo Gigena, and fullback Juan Cruz Mallía have all been ruled out of the tour due to injury.

Changes have seen Lucas Paulos, Joaquín Oviedo, Rodrigo Martínez, and Santiago Cordero replacing the four injured Pumas. They will join the roster ahead of the opening match of the tour. Argentina face France in Paris, Italy in Treviso, and Ireland in Dublin in November.

Matías Alemanno is the most capped of the four players forced out of the tour. With 73 caps, Alemanno is the fourth most capped player of the 2021 Pumas. He is behind Nicolás Sánchez, Tomás Cubelli, and Pablo Matera. Alemanno was assured of a place in the 23 against France. Lucas Paulos will fill the void while Tomás Lavanini will be fit in time to face Italy.

Rodrigo Bruni has been the regular No8 under Ledesma in 2020 and 2021. He and Facundo Isa were the two specialist eightmen on the roster. Isa now looks certain to start at N8 and thereby not be considered for flanker. Joaquín Oviedo will be Isa’s understudy.

Facundo Gigena is a Pumas rookie. He was busy in both the July Internationals and the Rugby Championship. He loss coincides with the return of Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Rodrigo Martínez joins Tetaz and Tomás Gallo as the loose head options.

Mario Ledesma started Juan Cruz Mallía at fullback throughout this year’s Rugby Championship. It has been so despite his natural position being center. Santiago Cordero started tests against Romania and Wales at fullback. Additional fullback options are Emiliano Boffelli, Santiago Carreras, Mateo Carreras, and Bautista Delguy. That would mean a change from Ledesma who plays them in other positions.

• Matías Alemanno: traumatismo en un hombro con compromiso del nervio.
• Facundo Gigena: no se recuperó de su dolor en el hombro, consecuencia de un traumatismo acromio-clavicular.
• Rodrigo Bruni: lesión en un hombro.
• Juan Cruz Mallía: esguince acromio-clavicular.

— Los Pumas (@lospumas) October 27, 2021