Spain include Argentines to take on Canada

Spain has confirmed a player roster for upcoming international competition. Los Leones will be the home team for the Vila International Cup. Played in Villajoyosa over two rounds, the competition will feature Spain, Brazil, Canada and the USA. The four teams are fancied participants for Rugby World Cup 2027 which will be expanded from 20 to 24 teams.

Spain qualified for Rugby World Cup 2023 only to be disqualified by World Rugby and replaced by Romania. Brazil was eliminated after losing to Chile and Uruguay while Chile also eliminated Canada. The USA fell to Uruguay and to Chile before being the final team to miss out after drawing with Portugal.

Spain have recently appointed Argentine Pablo Bouza as the new Head Coach. Bouza played for Argentina and played professional rugby. He has been an assistant coach for both Argentina and Uruguay and Head Coach for Peñarol in Super Rugby Americas.

Bouza will be watching from the sidelines rather than take charge of Los Leones in the Vila International Cup. In his place Los Leones will be under the command of Miguel Velasco. This is similar to Brazil who will be coached in Spain by Josh Reeves rather than the new Head Coach, former Tero Emiliano Caffera.

Velasco will be in charge of Spain for two matches. The first will be against Canada on Saturday, November 11. The winner of that match will face the winner of the USA vs Brazil in the final on Saturday, November 18.

The Spanish roster contains seven Argentine players. They are Joaquín Domínguez, Facundo Domínguez, Santiago Ovejero, Estanislao Bay, Martiniano Cian, Federico Casteglioni, and Iñaki Mateu. Bautista Güemes, who played for Spain against Argentina in August, is missing.

 

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Thierry Futeu (Chartres, FR) 26 caps
Marcos Muñiz (Ciencias / Iberians) uncapped

HOOKER
Álvaro García (Stade Français, FR) uncapped
Santiago Ovejero (Nice, FR) 11 caps

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Joaquín Domínguez (Os Belenenses, PO) 3 caps
Jon Zabala (Béziers, FR) 27 caps

SECOND ROW
Pepe Borraz (Cisneros / Iberians) uncapped
Alex Pérez (VRAC / Iberians) uncapped
Mario Pichardie (Loughborough University, UK) 7 caps
Alejandro Suárez (Alcobendas / Iberians) 6 caps

BACK ROW
Ekain Imaz (Biarritz, FR) 1 cap
Facundo Domínguez (Santboiana / Iberians) 17 caps
Matt Foulds (Santboiana / Iberians) 26 caps
Borja Ibañez (Pozuelo / Iberians) uncapped
Marc Sánchez (VRAC / Iberians) 1 cap

SCRUMHALF
Tani Bay (Aparejadores / Iberians) 6 caps
Ike Irusta (Cisneros / Iberians) 2 caps

FLYHALF
Xabier Martín (Alcobendas) uncapped

CENTER
Joaquín Gali (Ealing Trailfinders, UK) uncapped
Álvar Gimeno (Ciencias / Iberians) 32 caps
Gonzalo López (Rennes, FR) 3 caps
Iñaki Mateu (Aparejadores / Iberians) 12 caps

WING
Pau Aira (Barça / Iberians) uncapped
Federico Casteglioni (Aparejadores / Iberians) 36 caps
Martiniano Cian (VRAC / Iberians) 1 cap
Jordi Jorba (Chartres, FR) 43 caps

FULLBACK
John-Wessel Bell (El Salvador / Iberians) 14 caps
Gabriel Rocaries (Aparejadores) uncapped