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Matías Moroni is to play for Brive in France. Writing for La Montagne, Benjamin Pommier reports that Brive and Moroni agreed to terms after a few phone calls. The deal was concluded today, on December 20. Moroni will join Brive in time for the training resumption on January 05.
Moroni makes the move to the Pro D2 side as a Medical Joker. He arrives for the injured Sam Johnson. The Australian, capped by Scotland, is facing a long injury lay-off. Johnson suffered a cruciate ligament rupture playing against Grenoble. Such an injury requires 6 to 9 months recovery.
Pommier notes that Moroni could be offered a a longer contract. The move could therefore not be as a Medical Joker but longterm. Moroni recently stated that:
“That is the idea and that is why I am currently without a club, waiting for the opportunity to come along. I would like to continue playing in Europe.”
| CAREER – MATÍAS MORONI |
Brive is presently the home to another Puma. Tight Head prop Francisco Coria Marchetti debuted for Argentina in July 2024 against Uruguay. The match saw him earning what is presently his only test cap. Moroni has 89 test caps for Los Pumas.
The storied career of Moroni has seen him playing in three Rugby World Cups. He was a try scorer in the 2015 Quarter Final when Argentina eliminated Ireland. He also scored against Namibia in that World Cup and again against England at Rugby World Cup 2019. He received plenty of game time for Argentina at Rugby World Cup 2023. His try-saving tackle against Wales was vital to Argentina advancing to the Semi Finals.
2024 saw Moroni starting for Argentina in three different positions: outside center, wing and inside center. He played outside center against France in July and inside center against Ireland and France in November. He started on the right wing in Argentina’s win over New Zealand in Wellington. His natural position is outside center.
2024 saw Moroni overtaking a number of notable former Pumas including current Head Coach Felipe Contepomi (87 caps). Moroni now has 89 caps, making him the 8th most capped Puma of all-time. Argentina will play thirteen test matches in 2025, a sufficient number for Moroni to become a centurion. Moreover, Tomás Cubelli (93 caps) is the only Pumas back with more caps than Moroni.
Moroni’s debut for Brive could come on January 10. Brive face Dax in an away match. Brive are presently very well placed in the Pro D2. The club is in second position on 42 points behind Grenoble. Béziers and Biarritz complete the Top 4. The winner of the play-offs is automatically promoted to the Top 14. Meanwhile, the runner-up enters a play-off with the second-from-bottom Top 14 team. The winner of this match then takes the final place in the Top 14.
The 32-year-old Moroni was an inaugural Jaguar. He played for the Argentine Super Rugby franchise from 2016-2020. He then moved to England where he played for the Leicester Tigers from 2020-2022 and the Newcastle Falcons from 2022-2024. His move to Brive in January 2025 will make his first time as a professional player in France.
| ARGENTINA – ADDITIONAL PLAYER MOVEMENT? |
There may soon be additional player movement involving Pumas. The trio of second-rower Matías Alemanno (98 caps), scrum-half Gonzalo García (11 caps) and fly half Tomás Albornoz (17 caps) have all been linked to moves to Top 14 clubs.
Alemanno has been approached to transfer from Gloucester in England to Perpignan. Such a move would see him leaving his club with Mayco Vivas and Santiago Carreras to join the Catalans with Ignacio Ruiz, Joaquín Oviedo and Jerónimo de la Fuente.
Gonzalo García has been linked in a move from Zebre Parma in Italy to Bordeaux in France’s Top 14. Bordeaux is home to veteran Pumas second-rower Guido Petti. The rumor occurred before emergency meetings between Zebre Parma and the FIR over the future of the United Rugby Championship (URC) team. It may be replaced by a new franchise in a different Italian city.
The 25-year-old García had a breakthrough season with Los Pumas in 2024. He fought his way into the starting line-up. 2025 will begin with García being the first-choice Argentine scrum-half.
García played inside Tomás Albornoz for Los Pumas. Albornoz was one of rugby’s best fly halves in the test arena in 2024. He provided new direction from pivot for Argentina. It saw Santiago Carreras moved to be a replacement who was used from the bench at wing and fullback.
Albornoz started in Argentina’s wins over South Africa in Santiago del Estero, Australia in Santa Fe and Italy in Udine. The test in Santa Fe was his first start in the Rugby Championship; he also started against Uruguay in Punta del Este.
His performances lifted his profile. The Benetton fly half has the attention of Clermont. Former Pumas fly half Benjamín Urdapilleta will retire in mid-2025.
One further name has recently surfaced as a potential future move to the Top 14. ESPN Scrum note that current Pro d2 player, Joaquín de la Vega Mendía could make the move. The fly half is playing his rookie season for Colomiers whom he joined from Super Rugby Americas.
de la Vega Mendía is under contract with Colombiers until mid-2026. Nonetheless, ESPN Scrum note that the Argentine could arrive in the Top 14 with Castres having been listed as potentially being his destination.
