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Los Pampas have a new captain for the 2024 Super Rugby Americas season. Manuel Bernstein will be the skipper while Joaquín de la Vega Mendía and Manuel Nogués have been named as vice-captains.
The change comes following the arrival of Juan Manuel Leguizamón as the new Head Coach. It sees de la Vega Mendía’s role change; he was captain in 2023. The fly half was also captain of the Argentina XV last year. The change comes with de la Vega Mendía having signed to play in France at the end of the Super Rugby Americas season.
Depending on the coaches needs, Bernstein plays at both second-row or flanker. His natural position is the former. The product of CRAI in Santa Fé province is a former Pumita and has played or the Argentina XV. He takes over the captaincy of Los Pampas after previously also having played for Os Cobras.
Meanwhile, there is also an Uruguayan connection. Former Peñarol scrum-half Manuel Nogués joins de la Vega Mendía as being the understudy to Bernstein for the Pampas leadership. Nogués will have a new role as he has been selected as a fly half.
Los Pampas will open their Super Rugby Americas campaign on February 17. It will be a road match against Yacare in Asunción, Paraguay. Both teams were involved in the Super Rugby Americas 2023 Semi Finals. Yacare fell to Peñarol in their Semi Final while Los Pampas lost an all-Argentine Semi Final against Los Dogos. Peñarol won the Final against Los Dogos.
