Pumas Star Power Added to Argentina XV for mission Chile

Pumas star power has been added to the Argentina XV for mission Chile. The Argentine next-of-XV will face Chile at the Estadio Regional Calvo y Bascuñán in the northern Chilean city of Antofagasta on Saturday.

The match is the second for both teams in the Rugby World Cup Warm-Up window. Chile will make their RWC debut in September and will face Los Pumas at the World Cup in Nantes, France. Chile began their warm-ups with a one point loss against Uruguay while the Argentina XV defeated Africa’s second best country Namibia.

Numerous players on the Argentina XV are in consideration for the final Argentine roster. A 26-man roster is making the trip across the Andes today. Compared to the group that prepared for and faced Namibia the roster for Chile sees six new names added.

Michael Cheika will be certain to watch the Argentina XV against Chile. Indeed, the six new names are Sebastián Cancelliere, Benjamín Elizalde, Gonzalo García, Rodrigo Isgró, Santiago Socino, and Mayco Vivas. Five of the six are capped and three have already played for Los Pumas in 2023.

Cancelliere was a late replacement for Bautista Delguy against New Zealand in Mendoza. Vivas was Argentina’s replacement loose head prop in that match and Rodrigo Isgró made an impressive test debut in Argentina’s win over Australia.

Socino featured for Argentina in the 2022 win over New Zealand in Christchurch. García was named on the roster to face Scotland at home in July 2022 but underwent surgery. A second operation meant he missed out again on test duty. He debuted for Argentina in the 2021 Rugby Championship. Elizalde is uncapped. His inclusion comes after impressing for Los Pampas in Super Rugby Americas.

The roster contains further Pumas. Hooker Facundo Bosch, tight head Santiago Medrano, N8 Joaquín Oviedo and winger Bautista Delguy are also all on the plane to Chile.

Martín Bogado is missing from the Argentina XV roster. He was the starting fullback against Chile. His non-involvement comes with Argentina waiting on Juan Cruz Mallía. The Pumas starting fullback is facing suspension for a dangerous charge-down in Argentina’s 22-21 loss against South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday.

ARGENTINA XV – ROSTER FOR CHILE

LOOSE HEAD
Javier Corvalán (Pampas) – uncapped
Santiago Pulella (Dogos) – uncapped
Marco Vivas (Gloucester, UK) – 18 caps

HOOKER
Facundo Bosch (Bayonne, FR) – 12 caps
Boris Wenger (Dogos) – uncapped
Santiago Socino (Gloucester, UK) – 6 caps

TIGHT HEAD
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
Gonzalo García (Zebre, IT) – 3 caps
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
Sebastián Cancelliere (Glasgow Warriors, UK) – 8 caps
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR) – 25 caps
Benjamín Elizalde (Los Pampas) – uncapped

FULLBACK
Rodrigo Isgró (Los Pumas 7’s) – 1 cap

ARGENTINA XV – RWC WARM-UP TOUR

Jul 29   27-34 (Montevideo, UY)

Aug 05 vs (Antofagasta, CL)

Aug 19  vs (Montevideo, UY)

Aug 26 vs (Temuco, CL)