Stars to play for Argentina XV against Namibia

Stars will take to the field for the Argentina XV. A 26-man roster has been named for the first of four upcoming internationals. The Argentina XV will take on Africa’s best country, Namibia. Set for Saturday, July 29 the match will be played as part of a double header at the Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo. Uruguay face Chile in the other match.

The Argentina XV will be coached by Ignacio Fernández Lobbe and Nicolás Galatro. The same two men were in charge of Los Dogos and Los Pampas in Super Rugby Americas 2023. They have named eighteen players from their teams on the Argentina XV roster. Yacare captain Ignacio Inchauspe is also included.

The roster contains seven players who play their rugby for elite teams around the world. They include Bayonne hooker Facundo Bosch who has 12 caps for Los Pumas and Clermont winger Bautista Delguy who has 25. Perpignan’s Joaquín Oviedo is also included.

In addition to the Top 14 players the roster also contains Lucio Sordoni who started for Argentina against New Zealand earlier this month. He plays his rugby in Scotland. He and Santiago Medrano will fight for the no 3 shirt against Namibia. Medrano and Martín Bogado are players from Super Rugby Pacific.

Bautista Delguy had been named to start against New Zealand but was forced out an hour before kick-off. Namibia will be his first opportunity of representative rugby in 2023. Luciano González of Los Pumas 7’s is also included. He was singled out by Michael Cheika as a player of real potential. 7’s teammate Rodrigo Isgró debuted for Argentina in Saturday’s win over Australia in Sydney.

The match against Namibia wil be followed by three further matches. All four are to be played on the road. The Argentina XV will face three teams that will compete at the Rugby World Cup. Games two and from will be away to Chile while game three will be in Montevideo against Uruguay.

ARGENTINA XV – ROSTER

LOOSE HEAD
Javier Corvalán (Pampas) – uncapped
Santiago Pulella (Dogos) – uncapped

HOOKER
Facundo Bosch (Bayonne, FR) – 12 caps
Ramiro Gurovich (Pampas) – uncapped
Boris Wenger (Dogos) – uncapped

TIGHT HEAD
Javier Coronel (Pampas) – uncapped
Santiago Medrano (Western Force, AU) – 31 caps
Lucio Sordoni (Glasgow Warriors, UK) – 4 caps

SECOND-ROW
Lorenzo Colidio (Pampas) – uncapped
Federico Lavanini (Pampas) – uncapped
Lautaro Simes (Dogos) – uncapped

BACK-ROW
Manuel Bernstein (Pampas) – uncapped
Rodrigo Fernández Criado (Pampas) – uncapped
Eliseo Fourcade (Pampas) – uncapped
Joaquín Oviedo (Perpignan, FR) – 1 cap

SCRUM-HALF
Ignacio Inchauspe (Yacare, PY) – uncapped
Rafael Iriarte (Pampas) – uncapped

FLY HALF
Joaquín de la Vega Mendía (Pampas) – uncapped
Julián Hernández (Dogos) – uncapped

CENTER
Juan Pablo Castro (Pampas) – uncapped
Luciano González (Los Pumas 7’s) – uncapped
Agustín Segura (Dogos) – uncapped

WING
Lautaro Cipriani (Dogos) – uncapped
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR) – 25 caps
Iñaki Delguy (Pampas) – uncapped

FULLBACK
Martín Bogado (Highlanders, NZ) – uncapped

ARGENTINA XV – FIXTURES

Jul 29   vs (Montevideo, UY)

Aug 05 vs (Antofagasta, CL)

Aug 19  vs (Montevideo, UY)

Aug 26 vs (Temuco, CL)