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Thomas Gallo has set a world record. His two tries on test debut are the most by any prop on test debut in the professional era. Rugby went professional after RWC 1995; yet, it took until today for a prop to dot the ball down twice in the try zone while on debut.
Gallo was a second half tactical substitution for Argentina. He replaced Rodrigo Martínez at loose head prop. Los Pumas were beaten 32-17 by Australia. Martínez debuted last week, also against Australia. Facundo Gigena debuted earlier in the year against Romania while Carlos Muzzio debuted against South Africa. Gallo’s two tries on debut are two more than all of them.
Argentina’s most capped prop is Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. He started both test matches against South Africa. He has 1 test try from 67 test caps. Gallo has overtaken Tetaz Chaparro and the remainder of the props on the 2021 roster. Tetaz Chaparro and Francisco Gómez Kodela have one test try each. Gallo has two. The others have zero.
The last test match wherein a Pumas prop scored two tries was in 2003. It came in the form of a double-double. That is to say, two props scored twice each. Rodrigo Roncero and Martín Scelzo both went over twice in the try zone against Fiji in Córdoba in 2003. They had impressive careers. Roncero retired with 6 tries to his name from 55 caps while Scelzo did so with 10 tries from 59 caps.
Rugby statistician Stuart Farmer has confirmed with Americas Rugby News that the overall list of try-scoring props on debut is very small. Farmer identifies two before Gallo, both of which were in 1973. They are Hugh Wyndham for Canada vs Wales in Toronto on his only cap, and Roberto Fariello for Argentina vs Paraguay in São Paulo on his first of 3 test caps. In other words, Gallo is the third player overall and first in the professional era to score on debut. He now holds a world record for being the first prop to score twice on test debut in the professional era.
