photo credit: Rodrigo Vergara / UAR

Big names missing in 2018 Jaguares squad

New coach Mario Ledesma has named his Jaguares squad for the 2018 season and it is not without surprises. Absent from the squad are Pumas wingers Santiago Cordero and Manuel Montero, and flanker Rodrigo Báez. Cordero’s absence all but confirms a move to Leicester Tigers, with whom he has reportedly been in discussions, while Montero and Báez now seem certain to be targeted by big clubs in Europe.

Four props have already departed for Europe – Lucas Noguera Paz (Bath), Facundo Gigena (Leicester Tigers), Ramiro Herrera (Stade Français), and Cristian Bartoloni (Charente). Versatile front row Roberto Tejerizo has not been renewed, nor have second row pair Ignacio Larrague and Juan Cruz Guillemaín. Larrague is at least in the Argentina XV squad for the ARC along with Santiago Portillo, another member of last year’s wider training group not included this year.

A squad of 33 senior players has been named with eight members of the Argentina XV training with the squad for a week before preparing for the Americas Rugby Championship. With only six senior front row players named, some of those in the wider training group can be expected to see action at some point this season.

Former Pumas midfielder Gabriel Ascárate and Uruguay international Nicolás Freitas are out, the latter now free to participate in the entirety of the ARC. Meanwhile Olympic 7s representative Santiago Álvarez has been promoted from the wider training group to a senior contract for 2018.

Two players have been brought in from outside last year’s team. Pumas scrumhalf Tomás Cubelli returns to Argentina after a two-year stint with the Brumbies in Canberra. He is one of four scrumhalves named.

Felipe Ezcurra is a surprise inclusion after reportedly forfeiting his UAR contract to play for club side Hindú. It means his clubmate Sebastián Cancelliere, the other newcomer, is destined to play on the wing despite showing great promise as a scrumhalf with the Argentina XV.

Training for the new season will begin on January 4 with their season opener against the Stormers in Cape Town on February 17.

 

2018 JAGUARES SQUAD

POS NAME CLUB SR CAPS
LHP Felipe Arregui Duendes 12
LHP Santiago García Botta Belgrano 28
HO Agustín Creevy San Luis 25
HO Julián Montoya Newman 22
THP Enrique Pieretto Córdoba Athletic 16
THP Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro La Plata 15
LO Matías Alemanno La Tablada 20
LO Tomas Lavanini Hindú 15
LO Guido Petti SIC 27
LO/FL Marcos Kremer Atlético del Rosario 12
FL Juan Manuel Leguizamón Santiago Lawn Tennis 14
FL Tomás Lezana Santiago Lawn Tennis 16
FL Pablo Matera Alumni 22
FL Javier Ortega Desio Estudientes de Paraná 11
N8 Benjamín Macome Tucumán RC 6
N8 Leonardo Senatore Gimnasia y Esgrima 22
SH Gonzalo Bertranou Los Tordos 23
SH Tomás Cubelli Belgrano 18
SH Felipe Ezcurra Hindú 12
SH Martín Landajo CASI 19
FH Joaquín Díaz Bonilla Hindú 6
FH Juan Martín Hernández Deportiva Francesa 16
FH Nicolás Sánchez Tucumán Lawn Tennis 24
CE Santiago Álvarez CASI
CE Jerónimo de la Fuente Duendes 23
CE Santiago González Iglesias Alumni 19
CE Matías Orlando Huirapuca 25
CE/WI Bautista Ezcurra Hindú 12
CE/WI Matías Moroni CUBA 18
WI Sebastián Cancelliere Hindú
WI Ramiro Moyano Lince 15
WI/FB Emiliano Boffelli Duendes 17
FB Joaquín Tuculet Los Tilos 25

 

INVITATIONAL GROUP

POS NAME CLUB SR CAPS
LHP Franco Brarda Tala
LHP Javier Díaz Natación y Gimnasia
HO Diego Fortuny Uni Salta
THP Nicolás Leiva Hindú
THP Juan Pablo Zeiss Los Matreros
FL/N8 Santiago Montagner Alumni
N8 Rodrigo Bruni San Luis
FB Bautista Delguy Pucará

 

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