Pumas in prop bind as Tetaz Chaparro goes under knife

Argentina have almost certainly lost starting Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro for the November test series. Currently their first choice loosehead prop, the 50-cap veteran has undergone surgery to correct instability in his right shoulder. No official window of recovery has been given but he is a major doubt for the tour with a likely return not until the Super Rugby preseason.

The injury leaves the Pumas highly vulnerable at the loosehead position. Javier Díaz remains sidelined until the new year with a knee injury, leaving Santiago García Botta as the only loosehead with any test experience at all left for the games against Ireland, France, Scotland, and the Barbarians.

Having already reached out to Europe to solve the tighthead crisis, Mario Ledesma might now opt to do the same for the left side of the scrum. Lucas Noguera Paz is the most experienced option with 43 test appearances though he has played only one game for Bath this season. Another alternative is uncapped Leicester signing Facundo Gigena.

If Ledesma opts to stay within Australia he could look to switch tighthead Juan Pablo Zeiss who served as emergency cover during the Rugby Championship. Uncapped pair Franco Brarda and Nicolás Solveyra are currently in Montevideo with the Argentina XV, while Belgrano’s Francisco Ferronato remains a longshot despite being one of the form props in Argentine domestic rugby.