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Felipe Contepomi has named a 35-man roster for a training camp in Paris, France from Monday to Wednesday. The three day camp will bring together players ahead of the 2024 November Internationals. Los Pumas take-on Italy in Udine, Ireland in Dublin and France in Paris in three test matches. A final roster will be named next week.
 QUOTE – FELIPE CONTEPOMI |
“We are happy to be getting back together with the team after what was a very successful Rugby Championship. The weeks since then served to recharge batteries, but we have the challenge of getting back to where we were. Three very important matches await us and the camp that we have next week will enable us to have rhythm for the matches. We aim to close out the year in the best way possible, our objective is to continue growing and we are putting this under the radar, in being able to piece it together as a team and improve day by day, from one training session to the next.”
| LOS PUMAS UNDER FELIPE CONTEPOMI |
2024 is Felipe Contepomi’s rookie year in charge of Los Pumas. Under his command, Argentina have claimed victories over all opponents. The overall return is five wins and four losses from a total of nine test matches. Three were in July and six were fixtures of the 2024 Rugby Championship.
Contepomi has shown a willingness to give different players opportunities on the field. Six players have featured in all nine matches thus far: loose head Thomas Gallo, second-rower Franco Molina, flanker Pablo Matera, fly half Tomás Albornoz, fly half / fullback Santiago Carreras, and winger Mateo Carreras.
Six players have made their test debuts thus far under Felipe Contepomi. Franco Molina, and flanker Bautista Pedemonte debuted against France and tight Head Francisco Coria Marchetti and N8 Joaquín Moro debuted against Uruguay in July. In the Rugby Championship second-rower Efraín Elías debuted against New Zealand and tight head Pedro Delgado debuted against South Africa.
| ARGENTINA ROSTER – UNAVAILABLE |
The camp falls outside of the November Internationals window. Contepomi has, nonetheless, obtained close to complete access to players. Nonetheless, some certainties for November are unavailable. Tight head Joel Sclavi, flanker Santiago Grondona, fly half Santiago Carreras and winger Mateo Carreras are examples.
Grondona is resting after suffering abdominal pain and Santiago Carreras picked up a minor calf injury. Mateo Carreras has recovered from a minor injury playing for Bayonne; his non-involvement is because he recently became a father.
Another missing name is Pablo Matera. The former captain is serving suspension following his red card against South Africa in Nelspruit. Matera will not be available for the opening tour match against Italy but is free to play against Ireland and France.
Fellow first-choice flanker, Marcos Kremer was injured in the win over the Springboks in Santiago del Estero. His injury is not severe; however, he is yet to play for Clermont this season. In short, Kremer is not likely to be on the roster for November.
Veteran second-rower Tomás Lavanini is sidelined with a sprained ankle but may be green-lighted for consideration against Italy. He and Lucas Paulos are missing second-rowers from the 35-man cap roster. Lucio Sordoni, who started at tight head against New Zealand in Auckland, is also missing. Contepomi has opted for other players which also sees Santiago Medrano not selected.
Back-rowers Facundo Isa and Rodrigo Bruni have not played for Argentina since Rugby World Cup 2023. Back in January, Isa announced he would be taking the year off from international duty.
Winger Emiliano Boffelli, tight head Eduardo Bello and inside center Santiago Chocobares are all out through injury. The obvious player to replace Chocobares is Jerónimo de la fuente. His non-inclusion in the camp indicates a new inside center against Italy. de la Fuente played all three test matches in July. He sat out the Rugby Championship for personal reasons; his wife gave birth to their second child earlier this month. Ignacio Mendy has not been selected.
| ARGENTINA ROSTER – RETURNEES |
Three players are on the roster for the first time under Contepomi. Loose head Rodrigo Martínez, tight head Francisco Gómez Kodela and flanker Francisco Gorrissen have all been selected after missing the July Internationals and the Rugby Championship. Gómez Kodela was Argentina’s first-choice tight head at the World Cup. Francisco Coria Marchetti, who debuted against Uruguay, returns with Eduardo Bello injured and Joel Sclavi missing.
Veteran second-rower Matías Alemanno and rookie second-rower Efraín Elías both return. Alemanno played for Argentina in July but earned no caps in the Rugby Championship. If he plays against Italy, Ireland and France then he reach the milestone of 100 caps. Elías debuted against New Zealand before completing his move to Toulouse in the Top 14.
Joaquín Moro and Bautista Pedemonte debuted in July but did not receive game time in the Rugby Championship. Pedemonte and Gorrissen are teammates at Vannes. The trio are on the roster with Kremer’s injury and Matera’s suspension meaning more flankers are required for the test match in Udine, Italy.
Three backs who did play in the Rugby Championship but were overtaken by others during the competition have also been named. The Paris Camp will include scrum-half Lautaro Bazán Vélez, outside center Matías Orlando and winger Santiago Cordero.
| ARGENTINA ROSTER – UNCAPPED |
Hooker Bautista Bernasconi has been on the roster this year but remains uncapped. With Agustín Creevy now retired Bernasconi’s debut is increasingly close. Ignacio Ruiz is the official understudy to captain Julián Montoya at hooker.
Bristol Bears rookies Benjamín Elizalde and Benjamín Grondona have both been selected for the first time as has Zebre fullback Gerónimo Prisciantelli. The trio are joined by Pampas winger Santiago Pernas and inside center Justo Piccardo on the roster.
Piccardo has trained with the roster throughout the year. Without Chocobares and de la Fuente his time for debut could be against Italy. Prisciantelli has been playing fullback for Zebre though covers inside center and fly half.
| ARGENTINA – FORWARDS |
LOOSE HEAD PROP
Ignacio Calles (Pau, FR; 5 caps)
Thomas Gallo (Benetton, IT; 32 caps)
Rodrigo Martínez (Dragons, GB-CYM; 3 caps)
HOOKER
Bautista Bernasconi (Benetton, IT; uncapped)
Julián Montoya (Leicester Tigers, GB-ENG; 102 caps)
Ignacio Ruiz (Perpignan, FR; 15 caps)
TIGHT HEAD PROP
Francisco Coria Marchetti (Brive, FR; 1 cap)
Pedro Delgado (Dogos; 2 caps)
Francisco Gómez Kodela (Stade Français, FR; 38 caps)
SECOND-ROW
Matías Alemanno (Gloucester, GB-ENG; 97 caps)
Efraín Elías (Toulouse, FR; 1 cap)
Franco Molina (Exeter Chiefs, GB-ENG; 9 caps)
Guido Petti (Bordeuax, FR; 85 caps)
Pedro Rubiolo (Newcastle Falcons, GB-ENG; 17 caps)
FLANKER
Juan Martín González (Saracens, GB-ENG; 37 caps)
Francisco Gorrissen (Vannes, FR; 3 caps)
Benjamín Grondona (Bristol Bears, GB-ENG; uncapped)
Bautista Pedemonte (Vannes, FR; 1 cap)
N8
Joaquin Moro (Pampas; 1 cap)
Joaquin Oviedo (Perpignan, FR; 10 caps)
| ARGENTINA – BACKS |
SCRUM-HALF
Lautaro Bazán Vélez (Benneton, IT; 17 caps)
Gonzalo Bertranou (unattached; 65 caps)
Gonzalo García (Zebre, IT; 8 caps)
FLY HALF
Tomás Albornoz (Benetton, IT; 14 caps)
CENTER
Lucio Cinti (Saracens, GB-ENG; 29 caps)
Matías Moroni (unattached; 86 caps)
Matías Orlando (Miami Sharks, US; 61 caps)
Justo Piccardo (Pampas; uncapped)
WING
Santiago Cordero (Connacht, IE; 53 caps)
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR; 30 caps)
Rodrigo Isgró (Harlequins, GB-ENG; 4 caps)
Santiago Pernas (Pampas; uncapped)
FULLBACK
Benjamín Elizalde (Bristol Bears, GB-ENG; uncapped)
Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse, FR; 39 caps)
Gerónimo Prisciantelli (Zebre, IT; uncapped)
| ARGENTINA – 2024 NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS |
ITALY VS ARGENTINA
Date: Saturday, November 09
Venue: Stadio Friuli (Udine, Italy)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Adam Leal (England)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Búnker: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
IRELAND VS ARGENTINA
Date: Friday, November 15
Venue: Dublin Arena, (Dublin, Ireland)
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (Wales), Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
Bunker: Andrew Jackson (England)
FRANCE VS ARGENTINA
Date: Friday, November 22
Venue: Stade de France, (Paris, France)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Andrea Piardi (Italy); Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
Bunker: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
