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Argentina’s history-making 28-24 win over the British & Irish Lions included four players from the recently completed Super Rugby Americas (SRA) season. This very fact underlines the ongoing transformation in Argentina rugby. The four players in question all received game time, all making the step up to deliver for their country.
The involvement of SRA players was required. The long season combined with some players on vacation, others injured and the French and USA seasons yet to conclude, meant Felipe Contepomi put his faith in players from Los Dogos, Los Pampas and Los Tarucas.
The coach’s faith also came with some veteran Pumas left out of the roster. In the case of inside center, Contepomi was without Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse); yet, he started Justo Piccardo (Pampas) and did not select Jerónimo de la Fuente (Perpignan).
Piccardo looked the part as he played opposite former Chiefs Super Rugby player, Ireland’s New Zealand center, Bundee Aki. Piccardo played the entirety of the match. He covered flanker at scrums when Argentina were down to 14-men due to a second-half yellow card.
Boris Wenger (Dogos), and Simón Benítez Cruz (Tarucas) both debuted for Los Pumas in the match. They were second-half replacements as was Joaquín Moro (Pampas). Moro will continue his career at the Leicester Tigers. Others may also now attract interest from Europe.
Argentina’s three SRA teams are expected to be joined by a fourth in 2026. Preparations are advanced for a new team based in Rosario to enter the South American professional league. The Litoral team had been a possibility, alongside Los Tarucas, for 2025.
Past SRA years have also seen players earn call-ups to Los Pumas. Franco Molina went from Los Dogos to playing in every test match for Argentina in 2024. Debutant, against the Lions, Bautista Bernasconi is a former SRA player who now plays in the URC. Additional former SRA names in the win over the Lions include Tomás Albornoz, Gonzalo García, Juan Martín González, Ignacio Mendy, and Joaquín Oviedo.
