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The American Raptors are set to have Argentine flavor in Super Rugby Americas 2024. New Head Coach Marcelo Loffreda will have at least five Argentines on the soon to be announced roster. Two of the players are former Pumas.
ESPN Argentina reports that Loffreda and his assistant, Ignacio Fernández Lobbe are bringing in six South Americans. The six players include 2023 American Raptors players Diego Fortuny and Diego Magno.
Fortuny is a former Puma. He made his debut as a replacement against South Africa in Durban in the 2018 Rugby Championship. That is his only test cap. He briefly played Super Rugby for Los Jaguares before joining the Houston SaberCats in Major League Rugby (MLR). He and Uruguayan Diego Magno both played for the American Raptors in Super Rugby Americas 2023.
The American Raptors will se Fortuny and Magno back for 2024. Magno is the most capped Uruguayan of all-time. He played at Rugby World Cups 2015 and 2019. He is also the first player to reach 100 test caps representing an Americas test team.
The four other South American names set to arrive in Colorado are all newcomers. 28-year-old Thomas Morani is set to make the switch from the MLR to Super Rugby Americas. Morani is qualified for Argentina and the USA. He was raised in the former and learned his rugby in Buenos Aires. Morani played for CUBA in Argentina’s leading club competition, the URBA. He has decided that he wants to play for the USA.
Also joining the Raptors will be former Puma Ignacio Mieres. The 36-year-old is both a veteran and a well-travelled professional rugby player. Mieres has played for the Leicester Tigers, Exeter Chiefs and Worcester Warriors in England. He has played for Stade Français, Perpignan, Dax, Agen, Marmande, Dijon and Suresnes in France. Mieres was a Puma from 2007-2012. He debuted against Chile in 2007 and went on to earn 6 test caps.
Loffreda is also to include the relatively unknown Francisco Quinn. He is from the Hurling Club in Buenos Aires. Facundo Pomponio joins from Yacare. He also formerly played for Peñarol in addition to playing in Spain and France.
