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Argentina is in World Cup mode. A 40-man roster will train together in Paris from Monday, March 13 to Wednesday, March 15. The roster is 38 players with 2 having been included on an invitational basis due to injuries at scrum-half. The players included as well as those excluded provide key details as to Michael Cheika’s intentions for the World Cup.
Click here to view Argentina’s projected roster for Rugby World Cup 2023.
Three loose head props have been named. Mayco Vivas was released by Gloucester while Rodrigo Martínez will remain in Buenos Aires with Los Pampas to focus on more game time. Ignacio Calles is the winner with their non-involvement.
Four hookers have been included. They are the same four that played for Los Pumas in 2022. Facundo Bosch’s non-selection indicates that he is outside the top four. Three will make the final roster as will three tight-head props, the same number involved in the camp. Santiago Medrano will remain in Australia.
The second-rowers are the same four who played for Argentina in 2022. Cheika decided against including Franco Molina so that the Dogos captain can continue playing Super Rugby Americas. Seven back-rowers have been included. Like Medrano, Pablo Matera is missing due to the travel demands.
Uncapped scrum-halves Nicolás Viola and Genaro Podestá invited. They are to feature for the needs of the roster and not in a move for either to potentially play for Argentina at the World Cup. Gonzalo Bertranou is included but is out for the season. Gonzalo García is also out but he has not been included. Eliseo Morales remains at Los Pampas for the purpose of game-time.
Tomás Albornoz and Santiago Carreras are the fly halves. Despite paying in France, Nicolás Sánchez was not released by Brive. Benjamín Urdapilleta and Domingo Miotti have been excluded.
Santiago Chocobares is the returning center. He joins Lucio Cinti, Jerónimo de la Fuente, Matías Moroni and Matías Orlando. Cinti is considered a utility with him featuring as a wing, center and possibly fullback too.
Juan Cruz Mallía is the only fullback selected. The non-selection of Ignacio Mendy is of note, particularly with Martín Bogado missing due to the travel requirements from Dunedin, New Zealand.
Seven wingers have been included. At most four will make the roster for the World Cup. Emiliano Boffelli is a certainty. Not only was he the leading Puma in 2022 he is also the goal-kicker. He is joined by Sebastián Cancelliere, Mateo Carreras, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Cordero, Bautista Delguy, and Juan Imhoff.
ARGENTINA – 40 MAN TRAINING ROSTER
LOOSE HEAD PROP
Ignacio Calles (Pau, FR)
Thomas Gallo (Benetton, IT)
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Benetton, IT)
HOOKER
Agustín Creevy (London Irish, UK)
Julián Montoya (Leicester Tigers, UK)
Ignacio Ruiz (London Irish, UK)
Santiago Socino (Gloucester, UK)
TIGHT HEAD PROP
Eduardo Bello (Saracens, UK)
Francisco Gómez Kodela (Lyon, FR)
Joel Sclavi (La Rochelle, FR)
SECOND-ROW
Matías Alemanno (Gloucester, UK)
Tomás Lavanini (Clermont, FR)
Lucas Paulos (Brive, FR)
Guido Petti (Bordeaux, FR)
FLANKER
Juan Martín González (London Irish, UK)
Santiago Grondona (Pau, FR)
Marcos Kremer (Stade Français, FR)
Pedro Rubiolo (Newcastle Falcons, UK)
N8
Rodrigo Bruni (Brive, FR)
Facundo Isa (Toulon, FR)
Joaquín Oviedo (Perpignan, FR)
SCRUM-HALF
Lautaro Bazán Vélez (Rovigo (IT))
Gonzalo Bertranou (Dragons, UK)
Tomás Cubelli (Biarritz, FR)
Nicolás Viola (Jockey Club de Córdoba) *
Genaro Podestá (Marista Rugby Club de Mendoza) *
FLY HALF
Tomás Albornoz (Benetton, IT)
Santiago Carreras (Gloucester, FR)
INSIDE CENTER
Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse, FR)
Jerónimo de la Fuente (Perpignan, FR)
OUTSIDE CENTER
Matías Moroni (Newcastle Falcons, UK)
Matías Orlando (Newcastle Falcons, UK)
WING
Emiliano Boffelli (Edinburgh, UK)
Sebastián Cancelliere (Glasgow Warriors, UK)
Mateo Carreras (Newcastle Falcons, UK)
Lucio Cinti (London Irish (FR)
Santiago Cordero (Bordeaux, FR)
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR)
Juan Imhoff (Racing 92, FR)
FULLBACK
Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse, FR)
* Invited
