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Ignacio Calles to Bayonne is a done deal. Rugby Rama report that Bayonne have tabled a three-year-deal for the Pumas loose head prop. The contract will begin at the end of the 2024-2025 Top 14 season. This will see Calles moving clubs at the end of the ongoing French season and playing for Bayonne until mid 2028.
Bayonne already has a large supply of Argentines. The club is presently home to Facundo Bosch, Lucas Paulos, Rodrigo Bruni, Martin Villar, and Mateo Carreras. Aside from Bruni, the four others will be under contract with the club when Calles arrives. Bruni is involved in ongoing talks with the club.
Calles is a product of Los Cardos rugby in Tandil. He and Bruni are both from Tandil with Bruni coming from Uncas Rugby Club. Both players moved to Buenos Aires from where they gained more recognition and subsequently more opportunities. Calles played for Liceo Naval before joining Pau.
Pau recruited Calles from Liceo Naval as an espoir in 2016. He debuted for the senior team against Zebre Parma in January 2018 in the European Challenge Cup.
He made the move to France after representing Argentina at u18 level in 2013 and playing for Los Pumitas in 2014 and 2015. He played for the Argentina XV in 2016 and, after a long wait, debuted for Los Pumas in 2021. He earned his first cap against Italy in a 37-16 victory under Mario Ledesma.
Injury saw him miss out on selection for Rugby World Cup 2023. He came back with a bang in 2024 as Felipe Contepomi used Calles heavily as the understudy to Thomas Gallo. Calles was the regular Puma wearing the no 17 shirt in the second half of the Rugby Championship and in the November Internationals. He currently has 8 test caps for Argentina.
