Five Argentines in Cobras squad for Super Rugby Americas

Cobras have named a 34-man squad to prepare for the upcoming Super Rugby Americas campaign. Among the list are five Argentine additions, four of them tight five forwards. There are 24 returnees including Colombia winger Alain Altahona, the sixth member who is not a Brazil representative.

Props Luciano Gabellieri, Francisco Moreno, and José Santucho bolster the front row, all newcomers to SRA. Second row Franco Carrera makes the switch from the Pampas. Wing or fullback Agustin Llano has previously trained with the Pumitas under-18s.

Lorenzo Massari is a notable addition, the Tupis center making the move from Italy’s top division having most recently suited up for Calvisano. Second row Ben Donald has returned after playing with Sligo in Ireland, while Altahona spent the off-season in the USA with the Rhinos Rugby Academy and also got a run for the San Diego Legion academy.

In addition to their senior squad, a group of 14 academy players have been identified. Most notable are Australia-based prop Jack Forbes and former Brazil u20 fullback Alison Crispin. The latter trained with the senior squad in 2023 but did not make a regular season appearance.

A detailed squad list can be seen here.

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Brendon Alves (Pasteur)
Luciano Gabellieri (Córdoba Athletic, AR)
Levy Marinho (Jacareí)

HOOKER
Leonardo de Souza (São José)
David Müller (Pasteur)
Endy Willian (Curitiba)

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Henrique Ferreira (Pasteur)
Francisco Moreno (Uni Tucumán, AR)
José Santucho (Córdoba RC, AR)

SECOND ROW
Franco Carrera (San Cirano, AR)
Cléber Dias (Poli)
Ben Donald (Sligo, IR)
Gabriel Oliveira (Jacareí)
Gabriel Paganini (Poli)

BACK ROW
Pedro Aparecido (Poli)
André Arruda (Desterro)
Matheus Cláudio (Jacareí)
Adrio de Melo (Pasteur)
Maiki Lemes (Jacareí)
Rafael Teixeira (São José)

SCRUMHALF
Felipe Gonçalves (Pasteur)
Douglas Rauth (Curitiba)

FLYHALF
João Amaral (SPAC)
Lucas Spago (Pasteur)

MIDFIELD
Lorenzo Massari (unattached)
Robson Morais (Pasteur)
Victor Silva (São José)
Robert Tenório (Poli)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Alain Altahona (Rhinos, US)
Daniel Lima (Poli)
Agustín Llano (Liceo, AR)
Sérgio Luna (SPAC)
Ariel Rodrigues (Poli)
Lucas Tranquez (Poli)

ACADEMY
Nicolas Alkmin (Prop, Jacareí)
Jack Forbes (Prop, Mosman Whales, AU)
Hélder Lúcio (Prop, Poli)
André Oliviera (Prop/Hooker, Curitiba)
Matheus Chiareli (Lock, Poli)
Gustavo Sirino (Lock, Jacareí)
Iarley Santana (Flanker, SPAC)
Renato Santos (Flanker/No8, Pasteur)
Gustavo Gobeti (Scrumhalf, Pasteur)
Nassor Lukata (Scrumhalf, Poli)
Joel Júnior (Center, Poli)
Widson Menezes (Wing, SPAC)
Gustavo Pompeo (Wing, Poli)
Alison Crispin (Fullback, SPAC)