Felipe Contepomi has confirmed a 32-man roster to begin the November Internationals. Los Pumas first assignment is to face Wales in Cardiff on Sunday, November 09. Contepomi’s team announcement comes with seven players forced out through injuries.
The size of the roster is below that from the recent training camp. Contepomi, his staff and Los Pumas had a three day camp from October 27-29 in London. There were 34 players involved in the camp.
| LOS PUMAS INJURY COUNT |
The 32-man roster to prepare for Sunday’s match against Wales in Cardiff comes without seven players. The missing players include six first-choice names and one rookie. They cover a range of positions. They are: tight head prop Joel Sclavi, second-rowers Franco Molina and Pedro Rubiolo, flanker Benjamin Grondona, scrum-half Gonzalo García, fly half Tomás Albornoz and center Lucio Cinti.
 ARGENTINE RECALLS |
Contepomi has recalled eight players. That is to say there are eight players who did not play in most or any of the Rugby Championship who are on the 32-man roster to take-on Wales. The returning forwards are loose head Thomas Gallo, tight head Pedro Delgado, second-rowers Matías Alemanno and Efraín Elías and flanker Bautista Pedemonte.
The recalled backs are scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou, fly half Nicolás Roger and center Matías Moroni. Bertranou previously played for both the Dragons and Cardiff in Wales in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Moroni plays for the nearby Bristol Bears in the English Premiership.
| NOT SELECTED |
Forwards notably not selected include Ignacio Calles, Bautista Bernasconi, Lucio Sordoni, Tomás Lavanini, Lucas Paulos, Rodrigo Bruni, Joaquín Moro and Facundo Isa.
Bernasconi is not included yet there are only two hookers on the roster. The remaining forward selections are see others preferred. For instance, Matías Alemanno and Efraín Elías have been selected ahead of Lavanini and Paulos and Pedemonte has been preferred to Bruno, Moro and Isa
In the backs there are no places for Domingo Miotti, Jerónimo de la Fuente, Matías Orlando, Emiliano Boffelli and Martín Bogado. Contepomi has opted for youth in all cases ahead of these players. Nicolás Roger over Miotti is notable with the former playing Super Rugby Americas and the later playing in the Top 14.
| ARGENTINE FIXTURES – NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS |
| ARGENTINE ROSTER – NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS |
LOOSE HEAD PROP
Thomas Gallo (Benetton, IT, 37 caps)
Mayco Vivas (Oyonnax, FR, 37 caps)
Boris Wenger (Harlequins, UK, 4 caps)
HOOKER
Julián Montoya (Pau, FR, 114 caps)
Ignacio Ruiz (Perpignan, FR, 29 caps)
TIGHT HEAD PROP
Francisco Coria Marchetti (Brive, FR, 7 caps)
Pedro Delgado (Harlequins, UK, 6 caps)
Tomás Rapetti (Toulouse, FR, 1 cap)
SECOND-ROW
Matías Alemanno (Gloucester, UK, 98 caps)
Efraín Elías (Toulouse, FR, 1 cap)
Guido Petti (Harlequins, UK, 95 caps)
FLANKER
Juan Martín Gonzalez (Saracens, UK, 48 caps)
Marcos Kremer (Clermont, FR, 79 caps)
Pablo Matera (Honda Heat, JP, 118 caps)
Bautista Pedemonte (Vannes, FR, 2 caps)
N8
Santiago Grondona (Bristol Bears, 22 caps)
Joaquín Oviedo (Perpignan, FR, 19 caps)
SCRUM-HALF
Simón Benítez Cruz (Newcastle Red Bulls, UK, 7 caps)
Gonzalo Bertranou (RFCLA, US, 68 caps)
Agustín Moyano (Dogos, AR, 5 caps)
FLY HALF
Gerónimo Prisciantelli (Racing 92, FR, 2 caps)
Nicolás Roger (Tarucas, AR, 3 caps)
CENTER
Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse, FR, 33 caps)
Matías Moroni (Bristol Bears, 92 caps)
Justo Piccardo (Montpellier, FR, 8 caps)
WING
Mateo Carreras (Bayonne, FR, 31 caps)
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR, 37 caps)
Rodrigo Isgró (Harlequins, UK, 13 caps)
Ignacio Mendy (Benetton, IT, 4 caps)
FULLBACK
Santiago Carreras (Bath, UK, 61 caps)
Benjamín Elizalde (Bristol Bears, UK, 4 caps)
Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse, FR, 48 caps)
