Pablo Huete returns to Chile squad for November tour

Former Bayonne lock Pablo Huete has been recalled to Chile’s squad for their upcoming tour of Europe. The 33-year-old last played for Los Cóndores against Portugal in November of 2019. Along with vast experience, Huete gives the squad a second 2-meter (6’7″) lock to compliment Javier Eissmann.

Also included in the 31-man squad are three overseas professionals – tighthead prop Matías Dittus, flanker and captain Martín Sigren, and midfielder Iñaki Ayarza. Lucas Bordigoni, Clemente Saavedra, Nicolás Herreros, and Pablo Casas have recently returned from European clubs to direct their attention fully to Chile’s first ever World Cup campaign.

Five players named have yet to make their test debuts. Those are No8 Joaquín Milesi, scrumhalf Benjamín Videla, flyhalf Diego Warnken, center Clemente Armstrong, and three-quarter Gaspar Moltedo. All are graduates of Chile’s national age-grade teams. Milesi and Warnken featured for the Chile XV in the Americas Rugby Trophy.

Players from the Chile XV squad who miss out are props Sebastián Otero and Vittorio Lastra, second row Augusto Sarmiento, flanker Santiago Edwards, flyhalf or fullback Tomás Salas, and injured winger Cristóbal Game. Outside back Franco Velarde is another who will not travel due to injury.

Los Condores will play three matches on their European trip. The first two will be full tests played in Bucharest, with Romania up first on November 5 and then Tonga on November 12. A non-cap match against Irish provincial side Leinster in Dublin concludes the tour on November 18.

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Javier Carrasco (Old Reds) 15 caps
Salvador Lues (COBS) 7 caps

HOOKER
Augusto Böhme (U Católica) 18 caps
Tomás Dussaillant (Old Boys) 35 caps
Diego Escobar (COBS) 3 caps

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Lucas Bordigoni (Viña) 5 caps
Matías Dittus (Périgueux, FR) 17 caps
Iñaki Gurruchaga (Old Johns) 8 caps

SECOND ROW
Javier Eissmann (U Católica) 17 caps
Pablo Huete (Old Boys) 27 caps
Santiago Pedrero (COBS) 2 caps
Clemente Saavedra (Old Boys) 16 caps

BACK ROW
Alfonso Escobar (COBS) 15 caps
Raimundo Martínez (PWCC) 7 caps
Joaquín Milesi (PWCC) uncapped
Martín Sigren (Doncaster Knights, UK)
Ignacio Silva (PWCC) 34 caps

SCRUMHALF
Lukas Carvallo (PWCC) 3 caps
Nicolás Herreros (Sporting) 5 caps
Marcelo Torrealba (Old Boys) 8 caps
Benjamín Videla (Old Boys) uncapped

FLYHALF
Rodrigo Fernández (COBS) 19 caps
Diego Warnken (Alumni) uncapped

MIDFIELD
Clemente Armstrong (DOBS) uncapped
Iñaki Ayarza (Charente, FR) 10 caps
Pablo Casas (PWCC) 12 caps
José Ignacio Larenas (U Católica) 44 caps

OUTSIDE BACKS
Matías Garafulic (COBS) 8 caps
Nicolás Garafulic (COBS) 16 caps
Gaspar Moltedo (Old Macks) uncapped
Santiago Videla (Old Boys) 21 caps