Argentina Lose Enforcer for Rugby Championship Final in Nelspruit

Argentina will be without their enforcer, Marcos Kremer, for the Rugby Championship Final in Nelspruit. Kremer was injured in the second half against South Africa in Santiago del Estero on Saturday.

The injury blow forced replacement hooker Ignacio Ruiz to play flanker. The change occurred in the 63rd minute. It followed the 56th minute substitution in which Juan Martín González replaced Pablo Matera.

Felipe Contepomi has four back-rowers on the plane to South Africa: González, Matera, Santiago Grondona, and Joaquín Oviedo. All are established names on the roster. Kremer’s return remains unconfirmed though it is expected to be for Clermont in the Top 14.

Kremer is the second regular Pumas forward to be injured in as many matches. Tight Head Eduardo Bello requires surgery following his injury sustained against Australia in Santa Fe. Bello will miss Argentina’s November Internationals and will not play for the Newcastle Falcons until 2025.

Kremer is the notable missing name from Felipe Contepomi’s 28-man roster for Nelspruit. Additional players not traveling to South Africa are loose head Matías Medrano, N8 Joaquín Moro, centers Justo Piccardo and Matías Orlando, and wingers Ignacio Mendy and Santiago Pernas. Medrano, Piccardo and Pernas are uncapped.

 

ARGENTINA – FORWARDS

LOOSE HEAD PROP  
Ignacio Calles (Pau, FR; 4 caps)
Thomas Gallo (Benetton, IT; 31 caps)

HOOKER
Bautista Bernasconi (Benetton, IT; uncapped)
Julián Montoya (Leicester Tigers, GB-ENG; 101 caps)
Ignacio Ruiz (Perpignan, FR; 13 caps)

TIGHT HEAD PROP  
Pedro Delgado (Dogos; 1 cap)
Joel Sclavi (La Rochelle, FR; 23 caps)
Lucio Sordoni (Racing 92, FR; 7 caps)

SECOND-ROW
Tomás Lavanini (Lyon, FR; 90 caps)
Franco Molina (Dogos; 8 caps)
Guido Petti (Bordeaux, FR; 85 caps)
Pedro Rubiolo (Newcastle Falcons, GB-ENG; 16 caps)

FLANKER
Juan Martín González (Saracens, GB-ENG; 36 caps)
Santiago Grondona (Bristol Beats, GB-ENG; 16 caps)
Pablo Matera (Honda Heat, JP; 106 caps)

N8
Joaquín Oviedo (Perpignan, FR; 9 caps)

 

ARGENTINA – BACKS

SCRUM-HALF
Lautaro Bazán Vélez (Benetton, IT; 16 caps)
Gonzalo Bertranou (unattached; 65 caps)
Gonzalo García (Zebre, IT; 7 caps)

FLY HALF
Tomás Albornoz (Benetton, IT; 13 caps)
Santiago Carreras (Gloucester, GB-ENG; 50 caps)

CENTER
Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse, FR; 26 caps)
Lucio Cinti (Saracens, GB-ENG; 28 caps)
Matías Moroni (unattached; 85 caps)

WING
Mateo Carreras (Bayonne, FR; 25 caps)
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR; 30 caps)
Rodrigo Isgró (Harlequins, GB-ENG; 3 caps)

FULLBACK
Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse, FR; 37 caps)