Formidable Jaguares XV roster named for SLAR 2022

A formidable player roster has been named by Los Jaguares XV for the 2022 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). Ignacio Fernández Lobbe will have Pumas loose head Mayco Vivas and outside back Ignacio Mendy on his roster. Former Super Rugby N8 Bautista Pedemonte is also included.

Vivas played not only in Super Rugby but also at RWC 2019. He has 12 caps for Los Pumas. Mendy is the only other capped player. His one cap was against South Africa in the 2021 Rugby Championship. Mendy is one of two Bronze Medalists from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The other is Santiago Mare who was on the 2021 Rugby Championship roster though remains uncapped.

There are some familiar family names on the roster. The younger brother of Bautista Delguy and the son of Diego Albanese are cases in point.

Returning names from the undefeated season in 2021 include Rodrigo Fernández Criado, Rafael Iriarte, Juan Pablo Castro, Tomás Cubilla, and Gerónimo Prisciantelli. Martín Bogado, Joaquín Pellandini and Jerónimo Gómez Vara played for the Olímpia Lions in 2021. In addition, Manuel Bernstein played for Os Cobras and Javier Coronel and Lautaro Simes played for Cafeteros Pro.

 

JAGUARES XV

LOOSE HEAD PROP
There are four specialist loose head props on the roster. Mayco Vivas is well-known. He has played Super Rugby in addition to having a dozen caps for Los Pumas. Nicolás Revol Pitt is the projected understudy. He was named as one of 12 loose head props in consideration for international duty in 2022.

PLAYER	POSITION
Mateo Nuñez Miseres	Alma Juniors
Nicolás Revol Pitt	La Tablada
Santiago Pulella	Jockey Córdoba
Mayco Vivas	UAR

 

HOOKER
Hooker is a strength of Argentine rugby, both past and present. The three named on the Jaguares XV roster continue this tradition. Ignacio Ruiz looms as the starting playing in the middle of the front-row. He toured with Los Pumas in 2021 but remains uncapped. Bautista Bernasconi is back for a second season with Los Jaguares XV while Andrea Panzarini is a SLAR rookie.

PLAYER	POSITION
Bautista Bernasconi	CASI
Andrea Panzarini	SIC
Ignacio Ruiz	Regatas Bella Vista

 

TIGHT HEAD PROP
It is all change at tight head prop. The four names are newcomers to Los Jaguares XV. Of them Javier Coronel is a returnee to SLAR. He held down a starting position in 2021 for Los Cafeteros Pro. He is also the only player of the four to have been named on the list of front-rowers identified for international duty. Brian González and Gonzalo Hughes are notably absent. With them being Argentine based they may well therefore play for a rival in SLAR.

PLAYER	POSITION
Javier Coronel	Universitario La Plata
Adrian Delgado	Liceo Naval
Hugo García	CASI
Martín Villar	Lomas

 

SECOND-ROW
Rodrigo Fernandes Criado is back for a third season of SLAR. Pedro Rubiolo will be playing his second. They are joined this year by 2021 rivals Manuel Bernstein and Lautaro Simes who played for Os Cobras and Cafeteros Pro in 2021. Lucio Anconetani will be competing with them for a spot as a SLAR rookie.

PLAYER	POSITION
Lucio Anconetani	Duendes
Manuel Bernstein	CRAI
Rodrigo Fernández Criado	Belgrano
Pedro Rubiolo	CRAR
Lautaro Simes	Tala

 

BACK-ROW
The back-row is close to brand-new. Aitor Bildosola, Elisio Chiavassa, and Bautista Pedemonte will be playing their first seasons of SLAR. Pedemonte played Super Rugby in 2020. Los Pumitas captain Jerónimo Gómez Vara has made the move from Olímpia Lions while Santiago Ruiz is the one returning name from the 2021 Jaguares XV roster.

PLAYER	POSITION
Aitor Bildosola	Los Tordos
Elisio Chiavassa	Los Tilos
Jerónimo Gómez Vara	Atlético del Rosario
Bautista Pedemonte	UAR
Santiago Ruiz	Regatas Bella Vista

 

SCRUM-HALF
The departure of captain Felipe Ezcurra to Grenoble sees an opening in the 9 shirt. Four players are competing for the spot. Of them Rafael Iriate is the one player with prior SLAR experience for Los Jaguares XV. Joaquín Pellandini played for the Olímpia Lions in 2021 while Mateo Albanese and Juan Cruz Strada are SLAR rookies.

PLAYER	POSITION
Mateo Albanese	SIC
Rafael Iriate	CUBA
Joaquín Pellandini	Buenos Aires CRC
Juan Cruz Strada	Santa Fé

FLY HALF
There will be a new player at fly half. Tomás Albornoz is playing in the URC in Europe while Martín Elías will be playing club rugby for Atlético del Rosario. Tokyo Bronze Medalist, Santiago Mare is the frontrunner for the 10 shirt with Tomás Suárez Folch positioned as the understudy. Notwithstanding, there are players listed in other positions that can cover, none more so than Gerónimo Prisciantelli.

PLAYER	POSITION
Tomás Suárez Folch	La Plata
Santiago Mare	Regatas Bella Vista

 

CENTER
Four players are centers. Of them three are returnees – Juan Pablo Castro, Tomás Cubilla and Agustín Segura. The trio all have game time on the wing; such has been the strength of options available to the coaching staff. Juan Corso joins them this year as a SLAR rookie.

PLAYER	POSITION
Juan Pablo Castro	San Juan
Juan Corso	Regatas Bella Vista
Tomás Cubilla	Alumni
Agustín Segura	Jockey Córdoba

 

WING
None of the four wingers played for Los Jaguares XV in the 2021 SLAR campaign. Martín Bogado played for the Olímpia Lions while the others may the step up from academies. Iñaki Delguy, Nicanor López Fernández, and Francisco Pisani have impressed at the junior level for their country.

PLAYER	POSITION
Martín Bogado	Jockey Córdoba
Iñaki Delguy	Pucará
Nicanor López Fernández	Atlético del Rosario
Francisco Pisani	Regatas Bella Vista

 

FULLBACK
Fullback sees just two names but they are certainly formidable. Ignacio Mendy was a star for Los Pumas 7’s and is in contention to be a starting playing for Argentina at RWC 2023. Gerónimo Prisciantelli was excellent for Los Jaguares XV in 2021. He covered fullback, center and fly half. If Mendy is the starting 15 then Prisciantelli may again move around the backline.

PLAYER	CLUB
Ignacio Mendy	Los Tilos
Gerónimo Prisciantelli	CASI