Rugby United New York have confirmed their fourth significant signing of the week. Argentine age-grade international Benjamín Bonasso has signed on for the 2021 Major League Rugby season, following earlier announcements of Nick Civetta, Andy Ellis, and Dan Hollinshead. Bonasso is the 18th Argentine confirmed for the 2021 MLR season.
Bonasso, 23, arrives from Club Newman in Buenos Aires. The 6’4″ (1.93m) No8 represented the Pumitas at u19 level and only injury prevented him from playing at the World Rugby u20 Championship. He was then part of the Argentina XV training squad for the 2019 Sudamérica 6 Naciones.
Having been born in Connecticut, Bonasso is USA-eligible and will not count as an import player in MLR. He was named in the extended squad to play Colombia in 2019 but did not make the match day 23 and thus remains uncaptured by Argentina.
RUNY now have five loose forwards confirmed for the new season including returning Eagles Hanco Germishuys and Kyle Sumsion, New Zealand Māori international Kara Pryor, and Ireland u20 cap Evan Mintern. The latter is also capable of playing in the second row.