photo: Stade Rochelais

Bayonne recruit Facundo Bosch from La Rochelle

Bayonne will be the new home of Facundo Bosch. The Argentine hooker will join the club from La Rochelle, starting in the 2022-2023 Top 14 season.

Bosch moves from La Rochelle as a two-time European finalist and as a current European Champion. La Rochelle lost the 2021 European Champions Cup Final against Toulouse and defeated Leinster to win the 2022 Final.

The hooker from Necochea, Argentina turns 31 in August. He has been playing in France since 2017 after departing Super Rugby in search of more opportunities. He was third choice hooker for Los Jaguares. He played for Agen from 2017-2019 and La Rochelle from 2019-2022.

While at hooker, Bosch was named as the best hooker in the Top 14. Moreover, he is the leading Argentine hooker in France today. Agustín Creevy, Julián Montoya and Santiago Socino all play in England. Additional French-based Argentine hookers are in the Pro D2.

Bosch has 12 caps for Los Pumas. He made his test debut in the 2018 Rugby Championship. It was a famous win against South Africa in Mendoza. His second cap was also a notable outcome; Argentina defeated New Zealand for the first time.

Bayonne were relegated from the Top 14 to the Pro D2 in amazing circumstances in 2021. The club will return to the Top 14 for the 2022-2023 season. The team won the Pro D2 Final by defeating Mont de Marsan. Former Puma Mariano Galarza captained Bayonne to the win.

Bosch is the second South American recruited by Bayonne for the new season. Uruguayan second-rower Manuel Leindekar will play for the club. He joins from Oyonnax. Leindekar started in Uruguay’s famous win over Fiji at RWC 2019. Both he and Bosch are in the frame for RWC 2023 duty.

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Formally created in June 2015, this website's goal is to increase media exposure of the Tier 2 rugby nations, and create a hub with a focus on the stories of rugby in the Americas - North, Central and South.

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