Sevens stars named on defending champion Peñarol roster

Defending Super Rugby Americas champions Peñarol have shown their hand for the upcoming season. Included in a list of 42 names are 14 members of the Teros squad from Rugby World Cup 2023 and notably all 12 players who won Bronze at the Sevens Challenger Series in Dubai this past weekend.

Every player on the roster is Uruguay-eligible, with all but one boasting recent international experience of some kind. In welcoming in the sevens players the squad is heavily populated by outside backs, but the forwards are not as well covered with only two specialist hookers named.

Second row Felipe Aliaga has returned to the squad after initially planning a move to New York to play in Major League Rugby. He provides a major boost at lock with the squad have bid farewell to DC-bound Ignacio Dotti and suddenly-retired Eric Dosantos.

Prop is also thin on experience following the departures of tighthead trio Diego Arbelo, Ignacio Péculo, and Reinaldo Piussi to clubs abroad and retirement of loosehead Matías Benítez. Three age-grade internationals fill the gaps including Argentine-born Santiago Cagnone.

A detailed squad list can be seen here.

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Santiago Cagnone (u20)
Mateo Perillo (2 caps)
*Mateo Sanguinetti (84 caps)

HOOKER
Francisco García (u20)
Joaquín Myszka (u20)

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Mathias Franco (4 caps)
Santiago Martirene (u19)
Duban Silvera (u20)

SECOND ROW
*Felipe Aliaga (8 caps)
Tomás Etcheverry (3 caps / 7s)
Agustín Morales (XV)
*Juan Manuel Rodríguez (5 caps)

BACK ROW
*Lucas Bianchi (12 caps)
*Santiago Civetta (30 caps)
*Carlos Deus (6 caps)
*Manuel Diana (41 caps)
James McCubbin (7s)
Manuel Rosmarino (u20)

SCRUMHALF
*Santiago Álvarez (7 caps / 7s)
Pedro Hoblog (u20)
Guillermo Lijtenstein (39 caps / 7s)
Joaquín Suárez (u20)
Juan Manuel Tafernaberry (1 cap / 7s)

FLYHALF
Ícaro Amarillo (u20)
Juan Zuccarino (3 caps)

MIDFIELD
*Juan Manuel Alonso (10 caps)
*Felipe Arcos Pérez (10 caps / 7s)
Diego Ardao (1 cap / 7s)
*Bautista Basso (7 caps / 7s)
Santiago Gini (u19)
Valentín Grille (7s)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Ignacio Álvarez (1 cap / 7s)
*Baltazar Amaya (11 caps/ 7s)
Koba Brazionis (XV / 7s)
*Ignacio Facciolo (1 cap / 7s)
Juan González (u20 / 7s)
Juan Bautista Hontou (7s)
*Gastón Mieres (84 caps / 7s)
Emanuel San Andrea (u19)
Dante Soto (u20 / 7s)
Santiago Terra
Mateo Viñals (4 caps / 7s)

*member of RWC 2023 squad