A promising Argentine second-rower is set to continue his career in France. Rodrigo Fernández Criado has been signed by Montauban to play in the Pro D2 for the 2022-2023 season. The move will mark the first foreign experience for the 24-year-old.
Fernández Criado was a Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) champion with Los Jaguares XV in 2021. Injury cut short his participation in the South American league in 2022. He was a part of Argentina’s roster for the 2020 Rugby Championship but until today he remains uncapped.
He is to join fellow Argentine Segundo Tuculet at Montauban. He will be up against former Jaguares XV teammates in the Pro D2. They include Federico Wegrzyn who plays loose head for Provence, Francisco Gorrissen who captains Vannes from flanker and Felipe Ezcurra who plays scrum-half for Grenoble.
Fernández Criado is a product of IPR Sporting in Mar del Plata. His club position was flanker, though in SLAR and for the Argentina XV his size has seen him featuring mostly in the second-row. He weighs 113 kg and stands 1.97 m in height.