Uruguay Name Strong Group to Face Canada

Los Teros have named a strong group of 24 players to face Canada in the opening match of the Americas Rugby Championship, which takes place on Saturday, February 6 in Langford. New head coach Esteban Meneses has named Juan Manuel Gaminara as captain following the retirement of Santiago Vilaseca. The combative flanker is one of 15 players that took part in Uruguay’s respectable World Cup campaign.

Included is try-scoring hooker Carlos Arboleya, utility forward Diego Magno, and powerful eightman Alejandro Nieto. Midfielders Alberto Román and Andrés Vilaseca will lend experience to a relatively new halfback combination of Guillermo Lijtenstein and Manuel Blengio, who step up in the absence of first choice professionals Agustín Ormaechea and Felipe Berchesi. Speedy fullback Gastón Mieres also makes a welcome return from a short stint in England with Coventry following the World Cup.

Only four uncapped players are present, all recent graduates of the national u20 program. Props Facundo Gattas and Rafael Mones are included after featuring for a senior Uruguay XV side in November, so too versatile lock or loose forward Gonzalo Soto. Highly rated teenage scrumhalf Santiago Arata is given an immediate call-up after turning heads in last year’s World Rugby u20 Trophy tournament.

The match will be the first with Meneses in charge after the Argentinean joined in December, with former coach Pablo Lemoine promoted to Director of High Performance. The appointment is part of a new strategic partner ship with the Argentinean Rugby Union that has also seen Los Teros training with Argentina‘s new Super Rugby side – Los Jaguares – in recent weeks.

FORWARDS
Rodolfo de Mula (PSG), Juan Echeverriá (Old Christians), Facundo Gattas (Lobos), Rafael Mones (Seminario), Mateo Sanguinetti (Los Cuervos), Carlos Arboleya (Trébol Paysandú), Germán Kessler (Los Cuervos), Franco Lamanna (Carrasco Polo), Mathías Palomeque (Trébol Paysandú), Gonzalo Soto (Carrasco Polo), Matías Beer (Old Christians), Diego Magno (MVCC), Juan Manuel Gaminara (capt., Old Boys), Alejandro Nieto (Champagnat)

BACKS
Santiago Arata (PSG), Guillermo Lijtenstein (Trébol Paysandú), Manuel Blengio (Old Christians), Rodrigo Silva (Carrasco Polo), Pedro Deal (Old Boys), Alberto Román (PSG), Andrés Vilaseca (Old Boys), Leandro Leivas (Old Christians), Santiago Martinez (Carrasco Polo), Gastón Mieres (Lobos)

Head Coach – Esteban Meneses
Assistant Coach – Guzmán Barreiro
Manager – Santiago Slinger
Strength & Conditioning – Federico Izeta
Physiotherapist – Santiago Ramirez
Medical – Marcelo Santurio
Logistics – Juan Manuel García