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Lyon have re-signed Francisco Gómez Kodela. RMC Sport report that the French club have extended the Argentine prop’s contract for a further season to include the 2022-2023 season.
Gómez Kodela joined the club in 2016. He did so from Top 14 rivals Bordeaux and also previously played in France’s elite competition for Biarritz. All told, he has been playing professional rugby in the Top 14 since 2011.
The contract may be the last for the Argentine tight head prop. He will be 38-years-old when the contract concludes in July 2023. The additional season matches with the player’s stated goal of playing at RWC 2023.
The veteran has 21 caps for Los Pumas but has not played in a Rugby World Cup. A combination of factors account for why he missed out on playing in prior RWCs. In the case of 2019 it was due to Jaguares players being given preference. This ended in 2020 with the end of Argentina in Super Rugby.
The Lyon prop was called-up by Mario Ledesma for the 2020 Tri Nations. He was one of four tight head props on the roster. The three others had all played for Argentina under Ledesma in prior years; notwithstanding, Gómez Kodela was the starting tight head then and remains so.
Argentina’s historic win over New Zealand saw the forwards performing well in the set-piece and also in general play. Gómez Kodela was the rock that held the scrum together. That test match was Gómez Kodela’s first since 2013. He has also started every test match that he has played in since then.
Gómez Kodela is a product of Belgrano Athletic in Buenos Aires. He was born and raised in the Argentine capital. He made his test debut for Argentina in 2008 against Uruguay in Montevideo.
