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The Yacare XV roster has been finalized for the upcoming 2023 Super Rugby Americas. The Paraguayan side features players from Paraguay and Argentina. 30 of the 44 players are either from Paraguay or eligible to play for Paraguay. There are a total of 21 Argentines on the roster, 7 of which are eligible to play for Paraguay.
The overall balance of the roster continues the move to make the Paraguayan professional team less dependent on foreign players. On the one hand, of the inaugural SLAR fixture involving a Paraguayan side no player was Paraguayan. On the other hand, Paraguayans are the majority on the 2023 roster.
Paraguay achieved relative success in 2022. The juniors did well to beat Brazil while the test side defeated Colombia and improved against Brazil. Paraguay defeated Tucumán in November but dropped a non-capped match, which ought to have been capped, against Brazil.
In overall terms, Paraguay’s losing margins against Brazil were notably lower than in prior years. With the junior system continuing to outmatch Brazil’s, the move to have more Paraguayans in the country’s professional team comes with optimism.
The pulling together of players for the Yacare XV has seen Paraguay stepping outside of their borders to do what many of the Six Nations. The identification of Argentines eligible for Paraguay via heritage is evident on the roster.
Also recruited is Lucas Noguera Paz. The former Puma will play Super Rugby Americas for the Paraguayan side. Noguera Paz has 43 caps for Los Pumas. He was a regular under Daniel Hourcade. He played in seven matches at Rugby World Cup 2015 including starting at loose head prop against Namibia. He was a try-scorer in the win in Leicester.
Noguera Paz previously played Super Rugby for Los Jaguares and played for Bath in England and also spent time playing in Portugal. Also included are Mariano Muntaner and Facundo Pomponio who have played in Spain.
Pumitas center Tomás Acosta Pimentel will again play for the Paraguayan side as will Argentina XV scrum-half Ignacio Inchauspe. Felipe Puertas arrives in Paraguay after having played SLAR 2022 for Los Cafeteros Pro. The flanker from Los Tilos was outstanding for the Colombian side in 2022.
The team is coached by Ricardo Le Fort. The former Pumas hooker played at Rugby World Cups 1991 and 1995. The product of Tucumán Rugby Club. His coaching resumé includes previously coaching the team that is know the Argentina XV and the Olímpia Lions.
Yacare XV replace the Olímpia Lions as Paraguay’s professional rugby team. The Olímpia Lions were semi finalists in the 2021 Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). The team missed out on the knock-out stage of SLAR 2022.
YACARE ROSTER
PROP
Camilo Blasco (PY)
Daniel Cabral (PY)
Diego Caballero (PY)
Lucas Noguera Paz (AR)
Gastón Salvi (PY)
HOOKER
Emilio Gorostiaga (PY)
Julián Martín (PY) *
Mariano Muntaner (AR)
Lucas Otaño (PY)
TIGHT HEAD
Estefano Aranda (PY)
César Pérez (PY) *
Facundo Pomponio (AR)
Rolando Portillo (PY) *
Martín Sitjar (PY)
SECOND-ROW
Álvaro Báez (PY)
Mariano Garcete (PY)
Ignacio Martínez (PY)
Felipe Villagrán (PY) *
FLANKER
Lautaro Britez (PY) *
Juan Cruz Perez Rachel (AR)
Mateo Rodríguez (PY)
N8
Marcos Riquelme (PY)
Carlos Plate (PY)
Felipe Puertas (AR)
SCRUM-HALF
Mario Fernández (AR)
Ignacio Inchauspe (AR)
Diego Miño (PY)
Santiago Schwarz (PY)
FLY HALF
Héctor Gayoso (PY)
Estanislao Gómez (AR)
Joaquín Mussi (PY)
Enzo Sander (PY)
CENTER
Tomás Acosta Pimental (AR)
Santiago Álamo (PY)
Ramiro Amarilla (PY)
Daniel Chilavert (PY)
Tomás Mac Call (AR)
Gianfranco Parodi (PY) *
Sebastián Urbieta (PY)
WING
Federico Gauna (PY)
Juan González (PY)
Federico Cacciabúe
FULLBACK
Arturo López (PY) *
Facundo Paiva (PY)
* Notes player from Argentina eligible for Paraguay via World Rugby eligibility laws.
