Argentina Missing XV November 2022

Michael Cheika named 29 players on Argentina’s roster for the upcoming 2022 November Internationals. Los Pumas will tour the UK playing test matches against England, Wales, and Scotland in their respective homes venues in London, Cardiff, and Edinburgh.

The roster did not contain Argentine-based players. Instead, the players selected play their rugby abroad. The European leagues of the English Premiership, French Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship (URC) are home to all but one player.

The roster provides strong indications as to Argentina’s Rugby World Cup 2023 radar. This raises the question of which players have missed out and who are the next-in-line?

While selections have played their part, some are missing as a result of injury. Francisco Gómez Kodela, Guido Petti, Rodrigo Bruni, Gonzalo García, Santiago Chocobares are yet to play this season. All are very much in the frame for places on the roster for RWC 2023.

The non-selection of Benjamín Urdapilleta suggests that the plans are firmly in place for Santiago Carreras to play in the position with Tomás Albornoz as his understudy. If a third player is sought for the RWC roster then Urdapillleta or Nicolás Sánchez may be selected. Meanwhile, the prospects of RWC duty for Domingo Miotti and Patricio Fernández appear over.

Hooker is another position of note. Only two have been included, though with the matches all in the UK Santiago Socino could easily join the team and Facundo Bosch is a short flight away. Meanwhile, Santiago Medrano’s exclusion is noteworthy. Cheika’s roster contains only one permanent tight head with the two two choices unavaliable.

Flankers Santiago Grondona and Francisco Gorrissen are both fit but not selected. This is so despite Argentina having selected a player short in the position. Four, rather than five, back-row players will tour the UK. One of them is also covering the second-row as Marcos Kremer will be the fourth lock if required.

NOVEMBER 2021 INTERNATIONALS – ARGENTINA MISSING XV

1 – Mayco Vivas (Gloucester, UK) *
2 – Santiago Socino (Gloucester, UK)
3 – Francisco Gómez Kodela (Lyon, FR) *
4 – Guido Petti (Bordeaux, FR) *
5 – Pedro Rubiolo (Jaguares XV)
6 – Francisco Gorrissen (Vannes, FR)
7 – Santiago Grondona (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
8 – Rodrigo Bruni (Brive, FR) *
9 – Gonzalo García (Zebre Parma, IT) *
10 – Benjamín Urdapilleta (Castres, FR)
11 – Sebastián Cancelliere (Glasgow Warriors, UK)
12 – Gerónimo Prisciantelli (Zebre Parma, IT)
13 – Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse, FR) *
14 – Axel Muller (Brive, FR)
15 – Ignacio Mendy (Benetton, IT)

16 – Facundo Bosch (Bayonne, FR)
17 – Facundo Gigena (London Irish, UK)
18 – Joel Sclavi (La Rochelle, FR) *
19 – Rodrigo Fernández Criado (Montauban, FR)
20 – Tomás Lezana (Scarlets, UK)
21 – Lautaro Bazán Vélez (Rovigo, IT)
22 – Nicolás Sánchez (Stade Français, FR) *
23 – Lucas Mensa (Mont de Marsan, FR)

* Injured / Suspended