Argentina lose Paz, Novillo to Italy

Without contracts for Los Jaguares Joaquín Paz and Juan León Novillo are leaving Argentina to play in Europe. The backs were both involved in the Americas Rugby Championship with Paz also receiving game time in Super Rugby. Their loss to Argentine rugby is a consequence of the limited opportunities available on the roster.

With Argentina having just one team places are limited. Moreover with game time being taken up by those on the radar of Daniel Hourcade some have been lost in the shuffle.

Inside center Joaquín Paz and fly half Juan León Novillo will not continue their careers in Italy. Not only is it an opportunity of acquiring more regular game time but both players will now have regular contracts. They are to play for Calvisano.

From Córdoba Athletic Paz has been on the fringes for Los Pumas in recent years. Aged just 22 he has three caps for his country. He played against Uruguay in 2013 and 2015 and Paraguay in 2015. He has also played for the Argentina XV and was a Pumita in 2012 and 2013.

He was used by Los Jaguares to fill in when required. He did so in place of centers Juan Martín Hernández, Jerónimo de la Fuente and Santiago González Iglesias. The trio are all on full time contracts.

Playing inside Paz against Paraguay in 2015 was Novillo. In 2016, though, the Tucumán fly half has had limited opportunities. Having been a replacement for Pumita Domingo Miotti against the USA in Houston Novillo has since dropped down the list.

The 24 year old was unable to hold down a spot for the remainder of the Americas Rugby Championship. Los Pumas 7’s star Bautista Ezcurra started ahead of him against Chile while Juan Cruz González did so against Brazil and Canada. Novillo’s one start against Uruguay subsequently saw him dropped.

Joining Los Jaguares in recent weeks has not been Novillo. With Hernández in doubt the player called up has, in fact, been another fly half: Joaquín Díaz Bonilla. The Hindú pivot is now fourth in line for Los Jaguares behind Sánchez, Hernández and González Iglesias.

Although the UAR is to block European based players from Los Pumas the loss of Paz and Novillo is of grave concern. Neither player is comparable to names like Marcos Ayerza, Marcelo Bosch, Manuel Carizza, Juan Fernández Lobbe, Juan Figallo, Mariano Galarza or Juan Imhoff though this is besides the point.

Of concern is that Paz and Novillo are to now join a growing list of academy players to leave the country. Javier Rojas left for Albi for the same reasons. Bruno Postiglioni (Zebre), Juan Ignacio Brex (Viadana), Bautista Guemes (Vannes), Brian Ormson (Beaune), Sebastian Poet (Charente), Ignacio Sáenz Lancuba (Ealing) and Martín Chiappesoni (Dax) are just a sampling of youth lost to Argentina.

Rugby Championship rivals Australia and South Africa both allow their coaches to select players based at home and abroad. New Zealand only selects from him but has five Super Rugby franchises to choose from. At present Tomás Cubelli (Brumbies) is the only foreign based player eligible to Daniel Hourcade.