Rugby Championship 2022 – Los Pumas Make Changes for Springboks

A roster of 34 players are preparing for Los Pumas’ two Rugby Championship matches against the Springboks. Argentina will have home advantage in the first match in Buenos Aires on Saturday, September 17. The second match will be in Durban on Saturday, September 24.

Michael Cheika’s 34-man roster contains returning players; names who missed out on the two match tour to New Zealand. They are hooker Agustín Creevy, center Jerónimo de la Fuente, winger Juan Imhoff and loose head prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. All four are veterans. Their inclusion sees Santiago Socino, Lucas Mensa, Mateo Carreras and Mayco Vivas missing out.

Facundo Isa has also returned to his club. This decision comes as a notable omission. With Pablo Matera playing N8 Isa’s role in the team has changed under Cheika. The same applies to Rodrigo Bruni who is on the roster covering Matera. Juan Martín González, Santiago Grondona, and Marcos Kremer are Cheika’s three preferred players for flanker.

The roster also contains two invitational players. Scrum-half Eliseo Morales and flanker Pedro Rubiolo have both joined the roster. The uncapped duo played in the 2022 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR).

Morales was also an invitational player for Argentina’s third, and final, test match against Scotland in July. Rubiolo’s naming represents a first-ever call-up to the senior roster. From CRAR, Rubiolo is a former vice-captain of Argentina u20’s.

Not included is Francisco Gómez Kodela, He was injured in a pre-season match for Lyon in France. Also out of the Rugby Championship are scrum-half Gonzalo García, fly half Nicolás Sánchez and center Santiago Chocobares.

 

2022 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ARGENTINA ROSTER – SOUTH AFRICA SERIES

LOOSE HEAD
Thomas Gallo (Benetton, IT)
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Benetton, IT)

HOOKER
Agustín Creevy (London Irish, UK)
Julián Montoya (Leicester Tigers, UK)
Ignacio Ruiz (Jaguares XV)

TIGHT HEAD
Eduardo Bello (Saracens, UK)
Santiago Medrano (Worcester Warriors, UK)
Joel Sclavi (La Rochelle, FR)

SECOND-ROW
Matías Alemanno (Gloucester, UK)
Tomás Lavanini (Clermont, FR)
Guido Petti (Bordeaux, FR)

BACK-ROW
Rodrigo Bruni (Brive, FR)
Juan Martín González (London Irish, UK)
Santiago Grondona (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
Marcos Kremer (Stade Français, FR)
Pablo Matera (Crusaders, NZ)
Joaquín Oviedo (Perpignan, FR)
Pedro Rubiolo (Jaguares XV)

SCRUM-HALF
Lautaro Bázan Vélez (Rovigo, IT)
Gonzalo Bertranou (Dragons, UK)
Tomás Cubelli (Biarritz, FR)
Eliseo Morales (Cafeteros Pro, CO)

FLY HALF
Tomás Albornoz (Benetton, IT)
Santiago Carreras (Gloucester, UK)
Benjamín Urdapilleta (Castres, FR)

CENTER
Lucio Cinti (London Irish, UK)
Jerónimo de la Fuente (Perpignan, FR)
Matías Moroni (Newcastle Falcons, UK)
Matías Orlando (Newcastle Falcons, UK)

WING
Emiliano Boffelli (Edinburgh, UK)
Santiago Cordero (Bordeaux, FR)
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR)
Juan Imhoff (Racing 92, FR)

FULLBACK
Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse, FR)