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The Argentina XV open their Americas Rugby Championship campaign on Saturday. They do so in an away match against the USA in Los Angeles. That match takes place a week after the official opener in which Canada fell to Uruguay in Vancouver.
2017 FORM
The Argentina XV were highly inconsistent in 2017. The year opened with a comfortable away win over Canada. Back in South America the team hammered Uruguay in Bahía Blanca and, despite being shaky, defeated Chile across the Andes. A demolition job on Brazil followed before the title fell out of the team’s hands as the USA completed a last-gasp draw in Patagonia.
An underwhelming campaign at the World Rugby Nations Cup in June saw the Argentina XV finishing third. They opened with an inexplicable performance, falling 39-38 to Russia. Improvements were made against Spain, but any hopes of the Russia game being the only low-point were quashed with a shocking performance against Emerging Italy despite a one-score win.
In September the team was confirmed as Sudamérica Rugby Champions for 2017, winning a close final against Uruguay. Additional international competition saw the Argentina XV winning the Americas Pacific Challenge in October. It saw the team back to their best, proving to be a level above the ‘A’ sides from Canada, Samoa and Uruguay.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Felipe Contepomi’s roster has seen players leave for Los Jaguares both on permanent contracts and as medical jokers. This has not had an overall impact on the quality of the side. Distinguished players can be identified. This is very true of the back-row which has three extremely promising uncapped players in the form of Francisco Gorrissen, Rodrigo Bruni, and Santiago Montagner. The depth is such that fellow flanker Lautaro Bavaro is the team captain.
Additional forwards closing in on higher honors include hooker Gaspar Baldunciel and prop Francisco Ferronato, the latter having been identified as a serious contender for Los Pumas this year. Javier Díaz is another that Argentina are hoping to develop in the competition. Back for a third year is second-rower Ignacio Larrague who has Super Rugby experience and is a victim of Argentina having just the one franchise.
The Argentina XV has quality backs including returnees Juan Cappiello, Rodrigo Etchart, and Germán Schulz. All are accomplished players who are very close to receiving opportunities with Los Jaguares. Youth to watch out for includes fly half Tomás Granella and 2017 Pumitas Tomás Malanos and Juan Cruz Mallía. They will need to be carefully monitored by the opposition. Mallía scored a hat-trick from fullback against Uruguay ‘A’ in October.
VERDICT
The Argentina XV enter the tournament as favorites. In order to fulfill this they must return home from Los Angeles with a victory. Home matches in the far south and north of Argentina should see victories as would both away matches in South America. The team has the personnel to win the tournament with bonus point victories.
FIXTURES
| DATE | OPPONENT | VENUE | KICK_OFF TIME |
| Feb 3 | USA | StubHub Center, Los Angeles | 5pm Local, 8pm Eastern |
| Feb 10 | Chile | Estadio Agustín Pichot, Ushuaia | 5:40pm Local, 3:40pm Eastern |
| Feb 17 | Uruguay | Estadio Burgueño, Punta del Este | 8pm Local, 6pm Eastern |
| Feb 24 | Canada | Gimnasia y Esgrima, Jujuy | 8pm Local, 6pm Eastern |
| Mar 03 | Brazil | Estádio Pereira, São José dos Campos | 6pm Local, 4pm Eastern |
SQUAD
| NAME | POS | HGT | WGT | DOB | CAPS | CLUB |
| Díaz, Javier | LH | 1.84 6-0 |
105 230 |
Jul 26 1995 |
– | Natación y Gimnasia |
| Ferronato, Francisco | LH | 1.73 5-8 |
105 230 |
Jan 8 1988 |
– | Belgrano |
| Baldunciel, Gaspar | HO | 1.81 5-11 |
98 215 |
Dec 9 1996 |
– | Alumni |
| Fortuny, Diego | HO | 1.75 5-9 |
106 235 |
Sep 27 1991 |
– | Uni Salta |
| Espinal, Benjamín | TH | 1.83 6-0 |
120 265 |
Mar 19 1991 |
– | Belgrano |
| Favre, Lucas | TH | Nov 20 1996 |
– | Lomas | ||
| Medrano, Santiago | TH | 1.86 6-1 |
115 255 |
May 6 1996 |
– | Regatas Bella Vista |
| Galetto, Diego | LO | 1.96 6-5 |
115 255 |
Jul 28 1992 |
– | Urú Curé |
| Larrague, Ignacio | LO | 2.01 6-7 |
120 265 |
Oct 25 1995 |
– | CASI |
| Molina, Franco | LO | 1.98 6-6 |
112 245 |
Aug 28 1997 |
– | Jockey Córdoba |
| Ureta, Jerónimo | LO | 1.94 6-4 |
104 230 |
Oct 14 1996 |
– | Newman |
| Bavaro, Lautaro | FL | 1.88 6-2 |
100 220 |
Sep 4 1994 |
– | Hindú |
| Gorrissen, Francisco | FL | 1.91 6-3 |
100 220 |
Aug 30 1994 |
– | Belgrano |
| Montagner, Santiago | FL/N8 | 1.90 6-3 |
106 235 |
Apr 18 1995 |
– | Alumni |
| Bruni, Rodrigo | N8 | 1.89 6-2 |
109 240 |
Sep 3 1993 |
– | San Luis |
| de la Vega, Tomás | N8 | 1.92 6-4 |
102 225 |
Sep 18 1990 |
12 | CUBA |
| Portillo, Santiago | N8 | 1.96 6-5 |
108 240 |
Nov 21 1995 |
– | Los Tarcos |
| Del Prete, Gregorio | SH | 1.66 5-5 |
77 170 |
Mar 24 1995 |
1 | San Luis |
| Magnasco, Luca | SH | – | Alumni | |||
| Nogueira, Facundo | SH | – | Marabunta |
| Elías, Martín | FH | 1.83 6-0 |
83 180 |
Oct 16 1996 |
– | Atlético del Rosario |
| González, Juan Cruz | FH | 1.70 5-7 |
82 180 |
Oct 1 1992 |
– | CUBA |
| Granella, Tomás | FH/CE | 1.80 5-11 |
85 185 |
Aug 11 1995 |
– | Liceo Cuyo |
| Cappiello, Juan | CE | 1.80 5-11 |
96 210 |
Mar 4 1992 |
3 | Pucará |
| Mallía, Juan Cruz | CE | 1.82 6-0 |
88 195 |
Sep 11 1996 |
– | Jockey Córdoba |
| Mensa, Lucas | CE | – | Pucará | |||
| Resino, Santiago | CE | 1.77 5-10 |
86 190 |
Apr 21 1995 |
– | Uni Tucumán |
| Videla, Tomás | CE | 1.78 5-10 |
90 200 |
Sep 20 1994 |
– | Liceo Cuyo |
| Domínguez, Julián | WI | 1.89 6-2 |
93 205 |
Oct 4 1996 |
– | Pucará |
| Etchart, Rodrigo | WI | 1.75 5-9 |
82 180 |
Jan 12 1994 |
– | SIC |
| Malanos, Tomás | WI | 1.78 5-10 |
81 175 |
Jul 4 1997 |
– | Atlético del Rosario |
| Schulz, Germán | WI | 1.88 6-2 |
95 210 |
Feb 5 1994 |
3 | Tala |
| Arias, Gastón | FB | 1.90 6-3 |
87 190 |
Jan 5 1994 |
– | SIC |
