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An initial list of roster members for Dogos in Super Rugby Americas can be confirmed. Nineteen players are included, all of whom are from Córdoba rugby clubs. Eleven of the players are contracted to Los Dogos with the eight others being roster reserve players.
The names include former Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) names; players who competed for Los Jaguares XV, Los Ceibos, Los Cafeteros Pro and Selknam. There are also Argentina XV players, Los Pumas 7’s players, Pumitas, a player back in Argentina from the United Rugby Championship (URC) and players who have family members in Los Pumas past or present.
The players named give Córdoba’s professional rugby team a home feel. Córdoba Athletic, Jockey Club Córdoba, Jockey Club de Villa Maria, La Tablada, Palermo Bajo and Tala are all represented.
Santiago Pulella and Agustín Segura join the team as former Jaguares XV players. The former featured as an understudy to Pumas loose head Mayco Vivas. The latter has plenty of experience playing for the Argentina XV.
Pumas’ November 2022 call-up Franco Molina is also on the roster. He was the first name identified. Molina joins his hometown professional side after previously playing SLAR for Los Ceibos, Los Jaguares XV and Chilean side Selknam. Molina is uncapped but officially the next in line.
Tala forwards Gregorio Hernández, and Lautaro Simes both join as former SLAR players for Los Cafeteros Pro. Both have Argentina XV experience. Meanwhile, Pumita Boris Wenger of Jockey Club de Villa Maria played for Los Cafeteros Pro in 2022.
A taste of Italy is on the roster in the form of Ramiro Valdés Iribarren. The Argentine tight-head played in the URC for Zebre and in the Top 10 for Colorno.
Attention may well be placed on center Felipe Mallía. He is the younger brother of Pumas fullback Juan Cruz Mallía. In addition, the young outside back pairing of Mateo Soler and Valentín Soler have links to Los Pumas. They are the son of 25-time-capped Puma Facundo Soler.
Los Dogos have also recruited two players from Entre Rios. Sevens player and speedster Lautaro Cipriani arrives from Tilcara while Juan Bautista Mernes joins Dogos from Estudiantes. Mernes played in SLAR 2022 for Colombia’s Cafeteros Pro.
The 2023 Super Rugby Americas season will run from February 18 to June 09. The roster will expand to have more names revealed over the coming weeks.
DOGOS ROSTER
LOOSE HEAD
Santiago Pulella (Jockey Club Córdoba)
HOOKER
Boris Wenger (Jockey Club de Villa Maria)
TIGHT HEAD
Octavio Barbatti (Jockey de Córdoba) *
Ramiro Valdés Iribarren (La Tablada)
Octavio Filippa (Jockey de Córdoba)
SECOND-ROW
Federico Albrisi (Tala) *
Efraín Elías (Jockey de Córdoba) *
Gregorio Hernández (Tala)
Franco Molina (Jockey de Córdoba)
BACK-ROW
Juan Bautista Mernes (Estudiantes de Paraná)
Valentín Cabral (Córdoba Athletic) *
Lautaro Simes (Tala)
Francisco Udrisard (La Tablada) *
SCRUM-HALF
Agustín Moyano (Córdoba Athletic)
Nicolás Viola (Jockey de Córdoba) *
CENTER
Felipe Mallía (Jockey de Córdoba)
Faustino Sánchez Valarolo (Palermo Bajo) *
Agustín Segura (Jockey de Córdoba)
WING
Lautaro Cipriani (Tilcara de Paraná)
Valentín Soler (Tala)
Mateo Soler (Tala)
* Roster Reserve
