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Juan Figallo has announced his retirement from test rugby with immediate effect. The 31-year-old will not play again for Los Pumas though he will continue his professional career in the UK for Saracens in the English Premiership.
Japan 2019 was the third Rugby World Cup for Figallo. He played in both England 2015 and New Zealand 2011. In these tournaments he earned 10 of his career total of his 33 career caps for Argentina.
From the northern Argentine city of Salta, Figallo went through the domestic system playing firstly for Argentina u19’s before rising to the very top. Having impressed at such a young age Santiago Phelan selected Figallo for a November tour in November 2008 at the age of 20.
Following the tour he would be signed by Montpellier to play in the Top 14 though his test debut would not come until June 2010. His debut came following his first season as a professional player and saw him a part of a winning side in Buenos Aires against France.
Montpellier would remain Figallo’s home until 2014. He moved to Saracens in the UK following a back injury sustained playing against New Zealand in the 2013 Rugby Championship.
At Saracens Figallo was able to rehabilitate and has since won the Anglo-Wesh Cup, English Premierships, and European Champions Cup. These follow him previously playing in the Top 14 Final for Montpellier.
Mario Ledesma recalled Figallo for the 2018 Rugby Championship where he played in the two matches against South Africa. In winning the second he added to prior wins over France, Georgia, Italy, Romania, Scotland, and Wales.
The last of Figallo’s 33 caps was in the pool match loss against England in Tokyo. One week earlier he started in the win over Tonga in Osaka.
The retirement of Figallo represents a massive loss for Argentina. He has been the leading tight head in the position, including for the years in which he was absent from Los Pumas. In his place Jaguares props Santiago Medrano, Enrique Pieretto, and Lucio Sordoni will be the options to begin the new cycle.
