Argentina Roster with Recalled Names and Debutants for July

Argentina officially begin the road to Rugby World Cup 2027 in July. Los Pumas will play three test matches in South America, facing France in Mendoza and Buenos Aires and taking-on Uruguay in Maldonado. The matches are to be Los Pumas’ first since the Rugby World Cup 2023 Bronze Final.

World Rugby Hall of Famer and former captain Felipe Contepomi is now the Head Coach. Contepomi replaced Michael Cheika; it came with the assistant taking over the top job. Contepomi’s coaching experience also includes the Argentina XV and Leinster.

Contepomi’s roster for the July Internationals includes players who play their rugby at home and abroad. Select Super Rugby Americas players combine with players based in Australia, England, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, USA and Wales.

JULY INTERNATIONALS – ARGENTINA FIXTURES

July 06 VS (Mendoza, AR)

July 13 VS(Buenos Aires, AR)

July 20 VS (Maldonado, UY)

 

ARGENTINA ROSTER – FORWARDS

LOOSE HEAD PROP
Ignacio Calles (Pau, 2 caps)
Thomas Gallo (Benetton, 23 caps)
Mayco Vivas (Gloucester, 20 caps)

HOOKER
Bautista Bernasconi (Benetton, uncapped)
Julián Montoya (Leicester Tigers, 95 caps)
Ignacio Ruiz (Perpignan, 6 caps)

TIGHT HEAD PROP
Eduardo Bello (Newcastle Falcons, 21 caps)
Francisco Coria Marchetti (Brive, uncapped)
Lucio Sordoni (Glasgow Warriors, 4 caps)

SECOND-ROW
Matías Alemanno (Gloucester 93 caps)
Franco Molina (Dogos, uncapped)
Lucas Paulos (Bayonne, 12 caps)
Pedro Rubiolo (Newcastle Falcons, 10 caps)

FLANKER
Santiago Grondona (Bristol Bears, 14 caps)
Marcos Kremer (Clermont, 64 caps)
Pablo Matera (Honda Heat, 98 caps)
Joaquín Oviedo (Perpignan 2 caps)

N8
Joaquín Moro (Pampas, uncapped)
Bautista Pedemonte (Vannes, uncapped)

 

ARGENTINA ROSTER – BACKS

SCRUM-HALF
Lautaro Bazán Vélez (Rovigo, 13 caps)
Gonzalo Bertranou (Cardiff, 57 caps)
Gonzalo García (Zebre, 3 caps)

FLY HALF
Tomás Albornoz (Benetton, 5 caps)
Santiago Carreras (Gloucester, 42 caps)

INSIDE CENTER
Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse, 13 caps)
Jerónimo de la Fuente (Perpignan, 78 caps)

OUTSIDE CENTER
Matías Moroni (Newcastle Falcons, 80 caps)
Matías Orlando (Miami Sharks, 58 caps)

WING
Mateo Carreras (Bayonne 17 caps)
Santiago Cordero (Connacht, 50 caps)
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, 25 caps)
Ignacio Mendy (Benetton, 1 cap)

FULLBACK
Martín Bogado (Highlanders, 3 caps)
Mateo Soler (Dogos, uncapped)

 

WAITING FOR A GLOBAL SEASON

The roster has been selected as best as possible for July. The fixtures fall in the Argentine winter and in the Northern Hemisphere’s summer. For most this comes as an end to a long season which started with the 2023 Rugby Championship.

The players have not be afforded an off-season. International duty for those playing in a league such as the English Premiership, Top 14 or United Rugby Championship (URC) means playing year-round. Facundo Isa decided he needs a break; the starting N8 from the World Cup Semi Final will not play for Los Pumas in 2024.

Until World Rugby can provide the sport with a global season there is no way to guarantee that the strongest Pumas side will be able to play in front of their home supporters. For the players the opportunity of playing for their country means personal sacrifice in missing an off-season. As noted below, some will miss out on July as part of required rest on the back of a highly demanding work-load.

 

MISSING NAMES

Veterans Agustín Creevy, Francisco Gómez Kodela, Tomás Cubelli, Juan Imhoff, and Nicolás Sánchez are missing. None of them will be involved in Rugby World Cup 2027 but some or all of them may play for Los Pumas at some point in 2024.

Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro missed the World Cup through injury. He is also out of the July Internationals. Injury is also the reason for Emiliano Boffelli’s non-selection. Boffelli played through the 2023-2024 URC season with back pain.

Meanwhile, some players have not been selected based on when they finished their seasons with their respective clubs. Juan Martín González and Lucio Cinti were very busy for English Premiership Semi Finalists Saracens. They will sit-out July in order to recharge before the Rugby Championship.

Toulouse won the European Champions Cup, doing so with Juan Cruz Mallía and Santiago Chocobares. Mallía will miss the July series with Toulouse also involved in the Top 14 play-off’s. Tomás Lavanini, Joel Sclavi and Guido Petti are the other Top 14 players rested.

 

RETURNING NAMES

Contepomi has rewarded players for their form. Wingers Bautista Delguy and Ignacio Mendy are certainly two cases in point. They return with Juan Imhoff not included and nor is there a spot for URC Finalist Sebastián Cancelliere. Santiago Cordero is back despite very limited rugby following his return from injury.

Mendy is joined by Benetton teammate Tomás Albornoz in earning a recall. Albornoz played in the 2023 Rugby Championship but was not selected for the World Cup. His selection comes ahead of Nicolás Sánchez and Domingo Miotti, the latter had a strong season for Top 14 relegated side, Oyonnax.

Another Italian-based player is Gonzalo García. He is back in the mix after missing out on World Cup considerations following surgery. He had a strong season in the URC for Zebre. He is one of there scrum-halves on the roster.

Matías Orlando narrowly missed out on World Cup selection. With Lucio Cinti rested there is an opportunity to Orlando to add to his 58 test caps. Orlando will make history by being a Puma actively involved in Major League Rugby (MLR).

Veteran flanker Pablo Matera is back as is Santiago Grondona. Matera was injured at the World Cup and Grondona injured in the final warm-up match. Meanwhile, there is no place for Vannes captain Francisco Gorrissen despite Juan Martín González being rested. Second-rower Lucas Paulos also returns, doing so with Tomás Lavanini and Guido Petti given July off.

UNCAPPED PLAYERS

Contepomi’s roster contains six uncapped players. Four of them are included as roster members; they are prop Francisco Coria Marchetti (Brive, FR); flanker Bautista Pedemonte (Vannes, FR), second-rower Franco Molina, (Dogos) and fullback Mateo Soler (Dogos).

The two others are Bautista Bernasconi (Benetton, IT) and flanker Joaquín Moro (Pampas). They have been included as invitational members. Bernasconi’s selection comes on the back of a strong season in the URC. He made 19 appearances for Benetton.

FOREIGN-BORN AND HOMEGROWN PLAYERS

Argentina’s Rugby World Cup 2023 roster contained players from across the country. Every player was born and raised in Argentina. Every player learned his rugby in Argentina. The roster was entirely homegrown.

The uncapped players on the July 2024 roster are from Argentina and are homegrown as follows: Francisco Coria Marchetti (Lince RC), Bautista Bernasconi (CASI), Franco Molina (Jockey Córdoba), Joaquín Moro (Argentino), Bautista Pedemonte (Santiago Lawn Tennis) and Mateo Soler (Tala RC).

The returning Lucas Paulos was born in Argentina but is not homegrown. Paulos first played rugby in Spain for Club de Rugby Majadahonda. He attended Argentina’s win over France in Paris at RWC 2007. He moved to the Mont de Marsan academy in France aged 16 and returned to Argentina aged 18. He subsequently played for Argentina u20 and Super Rugby. World Rugby’s eligibility changes enable World Cup 2019 Wallaby Jack Dempsey to play for Scotland but do not enable Spain to ever select Lucas Paulos.