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Bautista Ezcurra is to depart Rugby ATL at the end of the Major League Rugby season for France. The Argentine midfielder will his professional career with Grenoble, presently competing in the Pro D2, France’s second division. He will join on a two-year contract.
The 25-year-old is an Argentine dual-international having played for Argentina both on the World Sevens Series and test matches for Los Pumas. He is a product of the renowned Hindú club in Buenos Aires..
Ezcurra was a two-year participant in the World Rugby u20 Championship before rapidly graduating to the senior Pumas 7s side in 2015. At the end of his first season he was nominated for the World Sevens Series Rookie of the Year and earned a starting position for Argentina at the Rio Olympics.
He then shifted his focus back to XVs, where older brother Felipe was already making his mark. The younger Ezcurra joined Los Jaguares in 2017 and played a dozen Super Rugby matches, then featuring in another 10 the following season. A first test start came against Scotland in June 2018, with the most recent of his 5 caps coming against the New Zealand All Blacks in September of that year.
Ezcurra left the Jaguares with the intention of pursuing a spot at the 2020 Olympics. Complications due to the pandemic saw him unable to complete a move to the Harlequins. He instead moved to Rugby ATL in December 2019 to play MLR.
A versatile back, Ezcurra has played both center positions and on the wing, and even on occasion at flyhalf. It’s the midfield that most consider to be his best position and where he has been utilized in MLR thus far though he will wear the No10 shirt this weekend.
Ezcurra is one of five recruits announced by Grenoble for the 2021-2022 season.
e FCG et son partenaire @COURT_EA vous présente une partie de son recrutement pour la prochaine saison. #forceetfierte #rougeetbleu pic.twitter.com/a816RwYDmD
— FC Grenoble Rugby #FCGAlive (@FCGrugby) April 3, 2021
The Pro D2 is presently home to Pumas centers Jerónimo de la Fuente (Perpignan) and Lucas Mensa (Valence Romans). Perpignan are inline for promotion to the Top 14. The Catalan side are presently leading the competition with 90 points. Valence Romans are fighting to avoid relegation.
Grenoble are positioned in 5th place on 61 points. The club is tied with Oyonnax and both are five points ahead of the 7th placed Nevers. Biarritz are third with 76 points followed by Colomiers with 69 points.
