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Tomás Lezana has traded Wales for France. The 29-year-old is transferring from United Rugby Championship (URC) side the Scarlets to Pro D2 side Montauban. The move is with immediate effect. It comes with Montauban in serious danger of relegation.
The move is not entirely unexpected. It comes with Welsh regional rugby in crisis. Rosters are being cut for next season. Lezana had signed an extension last season to remain at the Scarlets.
Montauban will be the fourth country and fourth professional rugby team for the flanker from Northern Argentina. Lezana played 46 games for Los Jaguares in Super Rugby from 2016-2020. He subsequently played for the Western Force for Super Rugby Pacific 2021 and from there he joined the Scarlets.
Lezana featured for Argentina at Rugby World Cup 2019. He received game time in all four pool matches and started at the back of the scrum against Tonga in Osaka. He earned 38 caps through Rugby World Cup 2019 but has appeared in just two tests since. He did not play under Michael Cheika in 2022 nor was he involved in recent training camp in Paris.
Montauban is also home to Argentine fullback Segundo Tuculet. The 29-year-old is uncapped. Rodrigo Fernández Criado played as a medial joker for Montauban earlier this season. He is now in Argentina playing for Los Pampas in Super Rugby Americas. Prop Nicolás Solveyra joined the club this season from Major League Rugby.
