A formidable player roster has been named by Los Jaguares XV for the 2022 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). Ignacio Fernández Lobbe will have Pumas loose head Mayco Vivas and outside back Ignacio Mendy on his roster. Former Super Rugby N8 Bautista Pedemonte is also included.
Vivas played not only in Super Rugby but also at RWC 2019. He has 12 caps for Los Pumas. Mendy is the only other capped player. His one cap was against South Africa in the 2021 Rugby Championship. Mendy is one of two Bronze Medalists from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The other is Santiago Mare who was on the 2021 Rugby Championship roster though remains uncapped.
There are some familiar family names on the roster. The younger brother of Bautista Delguy and the son of Diego Albanese are cases in point.
Returning names from the undefeated season in 2021 include Rodrigo Fernández Criado, Rafael Iriarte, Juan Pablo Castro, Tomás Cubilla, and Gerónimo Prisciantelli. Martín Bogado, Joaquín Pellandini and Jerónimo Gómez Vara played for the Olímpia Lions in 2021. In addition, Manuel Bernstein played for Os Cobras and Javier Coronel and Lautaro Simes played for Cafeteros Pro.
JAGUARES XV
LOOSE HEAD PROP
There are four specialist loose head props on the roster. Mayco Vivas is well-known. He has played Super Rugby in addition to having a dozen caps for Los Pumas. Nicolás Revol Pitt is the projected understudy. He was named as one of 12 loose head props in consideration for international duty in 2022.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Mateo Nuñez Miseres | Alma Juniors |
Nicolás Revol Pitt | La Tablada |
Santiago Pulella | Jockey Córdoba |
Mayco Vivas | UAR |
HOOKER
Hooker is a strength of Argentine rugby, both past and present. The three named on the Jaguares XV roster continue this tradition. Ignacio Ruiz looms as the starting playing in the middle of the front-row. He toured with Los Pumas in 2021 but remains uncapped. Bautista Bernasconi is back for a second season with Los Jaguares XV while Andrea Panzarini is a SLAR rookie.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Bautista Bernasconi | CASI |
Andrea Panzarini | SIC |
Ignacio Ruiz | Regatas Bella Vista |
TIGHT HEAD PROP
It is all change at tight head prop. The four names are newcomers to Los Jaguares XV. Of them Javier Coronel is a returnee to SLAR. He held down a starting position in 2021 for Los Cafeteros Pro. He is also the only player of the four to have been named on the list of front-rowers identified for international duty. Brian González and Gonzalo Hughes are notably absent. With them being Argentine based they may well therefore play for a rival in SLAR.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Javier Coronel | Universitario La Plata |
Adrian Delgado | Liceo Naval |
Hugo García | CASI |
Martín Villar | Lomas |
SECOND-ROW
Rodrigo Fernandes Criado is back for a third season of SLAR. Pedro Rubiolo will be playing his second. They are joined this year by 2021 rivals Manuel Bernstein and Lautaro Simes who played for Os Cobras and Cafeteros Pro in 2021. Lucio Anconetani will be competing with them for a spot as a SLAR rookie.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Lucio Anconetani | Duendes |
Manuel Bernstein | CRAI |
Rodrigo Fernández Criado | Belgrano |
Pedro Rubiolo | CRAR |
Lautaro Simes | Tala |
BACK-ROW
The back-row is close to brand-new. Aitor Bildosola, Elisio Chiavassa, and Bautista Pedemonte will be playing their first seasons of SLAR. Pedemonte played Super Rugby in 2020. Los Pumitas captain Jerónimo Gómez Vara has made the move from Olímpia Lions while Santiago Ruiz is the one returning name from the 2021 Jaguares XV roster.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Aitor Bildosola | Los Tordos |
Elisio Chiavassa | Los Tilos |
Jerónimo Gómez Vara | Atlético del Rosario |
Bautista Pedemonte | UAR |
Santiago Ruiz | Regatas Bella Vista |
SCRUM-HALF
The departure of captain Felipe Ezcurra to Grenoble sees an opening in the 9 shirt. Four players are competing for the spot. Of them Rafael Iriate is the one player with prior SLAR experience for Los Jaguares XV. Joaquín Pellandini played for the Olímpia Lions in 2021 while Mateo Albanese and Juan Cruz Strada are SLAR rookies.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Mateo Albanese | SIC |
Rafael Iriate | CUBA |
Joaquín Pellandini | Buenos Aires CRC |
Juan Cruz Strada | Santa Fé |
FLY HALF
There will be a new player at fly half. Tomás Albornoz is playing in the URC in Europe while Martín Elías will be playing club rugby for Atlético del Rosario. Tokyo Bronze Medalist, Santiago Mare is the frontrunner for the 10 shirt with Tomás Suárez Folch positioned as the understudy. Notwithstanding, there are players listed in other positions that can cover, none more so than Gerónimo Prisciantelli.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Tomás Suárez Folch | La Plata |
Santiago Mare | Regatas Bella Vista |
CENTER
Four players are centers. Of them three are returnees – Juan Pablo Castro, Tomás Cubilla and Agustín Segura. The trio all have game time on the wing; such has been the strength of options available to the coaching staff. Juan Corso joins them this year as a SLAR rookie.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Juan Pablo Castro | San Juan |
Juan Corso | Regatas Bella Vista |
Tomás Cubilla | Alumni |
Agustín Segura | Jockey Córdoba |
WING
None of the four wingers played for Los Jaguares XV in the 2021 SLAR campaign. Martín Bogado played for the Olímpia Lions while the others may the step up from academies. Iñaki Delguy, Nicanor López Fernández, and Francisco Pisani have impressed at the junior level for their country.
PLAYER | POSITION |
Martín Bogado | Jockey Córdoba |
Iñaki Delguy | Pucará |
Nicanor López Fernández | Atlético del Rosario |
Francisco Pisani | Regatas Bella Vista |
FULLBACK
Fullback sees just two names but they are certainly formidable. Ignacio Mendy was a star for Los Pumas 7’s and is in contention to be a starting playing for Argentina at RWC 2023. Gerónimo Prisciantelli was excellent for Los Jaguares XV in 2021. He covered fullback, center and fly half. If Mendy is the starting 15 then Prisciantelli may again move around the backline.
PLAYER | CLUB |
Ignacio Mendy | Los Tilos |
Gerónimo Prisciantelli | CASI |