Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Super Rugby Americas 2024 will feature two Argentine teams: Los Dogos based in Córdoba and Los Pampas based in Buenos Aires. Both teams were Semi Finalists in Super Rugby Americas 2023. Pressure is on for the South American professional rugby trophy to return to Argentina this year.
Click here to access the complete 2024 Pampas player roster.
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SEASON OPENER
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. Los Pampas will then be at home to face Los Dogos and the American Raptors before traveling to Chile to face Selknam in round four. It is a welcome opening set of matches for the Buenos Aires side.
COACHING STAFF
Ignacio Fernández Lobbe is no longer in charge. One former Puma has made way for another. In this case it is a professional coaching debut for Juan Manuel Leguizamón. Leguizamón and Fernández Lobbe both won Bronze Medals at France 2007. Leguizamón retired from international duty following Rugby World Cup 2019. He did so with 87 caps to his name. The native of Santiago del Estero had a notable professional career. Leguizamón went from the humble beginnings of Santiago Lawn Tennis to playing for elite teams in the English Premiership, French Top 14, Super Rugby and Major League Rugby (MLR). Leguizamón will be assisted by Nicolás Vergallo, and Rodrigo Martínez at Los Pampas.
RECRUITMENT
Fourteen newcomers are on the roster for Super Rugby Americas 2024. They 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.
Tomás Bernasconi is back from the United Rugby Championship (URC) while 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. Manuel Nogués returns to Argentina’s High Performance system. He previously played for Peñarol as the starting scrum-half. He is expected to play more at fly half in Super Rugby Americas 2024. Ignacio Inchauspe arrives after excelling at scrum-half for Yacare.
IMPORTS
The team is entirely homegrown. All players are Argentine. All were born in Argentina and all are products of the Argentine rugby system. All players are eligible to play for Los Pumas. Eliseo Morales is the only player with a rest cap. Seventeen other players have honors for the Argentina XV.
POSSIBLE STARTING XV
1 Javier Corvalán
2 Ramiro Gurovich
3 Javier Coronel
4 Rodrigo Fernández Criado
5 Eliseo Fourcade
6 Nicolás D’Amorim
7 Manuel Bernstein (capt.)
8 Tomás Bernasconi
9 Eliseo Morales
10 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía
11 Jerónimo Ulloa
12 Juan Pablo Castro
13 Benjamín Elizalde
14 Justo Piccardo
15 Marcos Eliçagaray
