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Four Argentines have been named on Spain’s roster for upcoming international competition. This coming Satuirday will see Los Leones take on Holland in a 2022 Rugby Europe Championship 2022 match which doubles as a RWC 2023 qualifier.
Two teams from the European competition will qualify for RWC 2023, doing so as Europe 1 and Europe 2 respectively. The third placed team will qualify for repachage. Spain is presently placed 4th behind Georgia, Romania, and Portugal.
Spain’s home match against Holland is one of three qualifiers this coming weekend. Another sees Georgia hosting Portugal. The Lelos are firm favorites for a win. It Los Leones also win then they will move above Portugal. Romania need to win their home game vs Russia to remain 2nd.
Spain are captained by prop Fernando López. He is from Buenos Aires and is a product of Pucará. Fernández is joined by three other Argentines on the roster to face Holland. The others are hooker Santiago Ovejero, flanker Facundo Domínguez and fly half Bautista Güemes.
Spain is chasing a second appearance in a Rugby World Cup. Los Leones played at RWC 1999, facing Scotland, South Africa and Uruguay in matches in Scotland. The closest since then was RWC 2019; however, Spain were disqualified from the qualifiers for breaching player eligibility laws.
Recent changes to eligibility mean that players can now change country. One of the players that was deemed not eligible for Spain is back on the radar and now free to play for Spain.
