Exciting Pampas Roster Named for Super Rugby Americas 2024

An exciting Pampas roster has been named for Super Rugby Americas 2024. The upcoming season will be the second to feature the Buenos Aires franchise. In the rookie campaign in 2023, Los Pampas were Semi Finalists.

Super Rugby 2024 sees one Puma replacing another as Head Coach of Los Pampas. In his first coaching experience, Juan Manuel Leguizamón takes over from Rugby World Cup 2007 teammate Ignacio Fernández Lobbe.

Leguizamón will be assisted by Nicolás Vergallo, and Rodrigo Martínez. The coaching regime will be in charge of a 30-man roster. 14 of the players will be making their debut for Los Pampas in 2024. The 14 newcomers are Tomás Bernasconi, Ignacio Bottazzini, Estanislao Carullo, Mateo Lorenzo, Santiago Montagner, Joaquín Moro, Marcelo Toledo, Marcos Eliçagaray, Bruno Heit, Ignacio Inchauspe, Bernabé López Fleming, Manuel Nogués, Santiago Pernas, and Justo Piccardo.

The roster contains former Jaguares XV player Tomás Bernasconi. He also played in the United Rugby Championship (URC) for Italian side Benetton. Santiago Montagner is back after playing in both Italy and France. Another notable inclusion is Eliseo Morales. He debuted for Argentina against Wales in 2022. He was used by Ignacio Fernández Lobbe as a fullback in Super Rugby 2023 despite being a test scrum-half.

Also of note is the return of Manuel Nogués to Argentina’s High Performance system. He previously played for Peñarol as the starting scrum-half. Like Morales, he may well be used to cover another position as captain Joaquín de la Vega Mendía is the only specialist fly half.

In addition to Morales and de la Vega Mendía, additional notable returning players include fringe Pumas Juan Pablo Castro, and Rodrigo Fernández Criado. On the flip side Joaquín Lamas, Rafael Iriarte, Juan Landó, Manuel Alfaro, Iñaki Delguy and Jerónimo Ureta are notably absent.

The 30-man Pampas roster is entirely homegrown. Every player is a product of Argentine rugby and all players are eligible to play for Los Pumas.

Super Rugby Americas 2024 will get underway on Friday, February 16. Los Dogos will take-on the American Raptors in the season opener. Los Pampas will make their debut the following day against Yacare in Asunción, Paraguay.

 

SUPER RUGBY AMERICAS 2024 – PAMPAS ROSTER

PROP
Estanislao Carullo (CUBA)
Javier Coronel (Universitario de La Plata)
Javier Corvalán (Deportiva Francesa)
Matías Medrano (Regatas Bella Vista)
Renzo Zanella (Comercial)

HOOKER
Ignacio Bottazzini (SIC)
Ramiro Gurovich (CAE)

LOCK
Rodrigo Fernández Criado (IPR Sporting)
Eliseo Fourcade (Pucará)
Mateo Lorenzo (La Plata)
Marcelo Toledo (Regatas Bella Vista)

FLANKER
Manuel Bernstein (CRAI)
Eliseo Chiavassa (Los Tilos)
Nicolás D’Amorim (Hindú)
Joaquín Moro (Belgrano)

N8
Tomás Bernasconi (La Plata)
Santiago Montagner (Alumni)

SCRUM-HALF
Mateo Albanese (SIC)
Ignacio Inchauspe (Olivos)
Eliseo Morales (Universitario de Salta)

FLY HALF
Joaquín de la Vega Mendía (Hindú)
Manuel Nogués (Atlético del Rosario)

CENTER
Juan Pablo Castro (San Juan)
Benjamín Elizalde (Deportiva Francesa)
Bruno Heit (CAE)
Justo Piccardo (SIC)

WING
Bernabé López Fleming (SIC)
Santiago Pernas (Alumni)
Jerónimo Ulloa (Newman)

FULLBACK
Marcos Eliçagaray (CUBA)