Uruguay has opted for new blood for the November Internationals. It comes with Los Teros having successfully qualified for Rugby World Cup 2027. Attention now turns to expanding the player base as Uruguay look to have healthy competition for places on the roster come Australia 2027.
The roster comes with three striking points. The first is no place for Mateo Sanguinetti. The veteran loose head prop is out of the tour with a knee injury sustained against Chile in RWC Qualifying. Santiago Cagnone has been called-up in his place. Cagnone is uncapped. He played for Uruguay at the 2023 World Rugby U20 Trophy. He comes from Sporting Rugby in Mar del Plata, Argentina. His father is Uruguayan.
The second is that there are no European-based players included. This is by design as players are to be called-up on a game-by-game process. The likes of Baltazar Amaya, Santiago Arata, Diego Arbelo, Juan González, Germán Kessler, and regular captain Manuel Leindekar are likely to all join the roster in Europe.
The third is the selection of Francisco González Capdevila. The 23-year-old arrives with Super Rugby Americas experience for Los Pampas. The fullback comes from SIC club in Buenos Aires. He qualifies for Uruguay via his mother.
| URUGUAYANS BASED IN EUROPE |
The initial roster announcement came without players based in Europe. The roster was expanded by six players on November 03. The six men all play in Europe. Three of the six are regulars and three are uncapped players.
The three regulars are second-rower and captain Manuel Leindekar, fullback Juan González and hooker Germán Kessler. The new comers include former URU academy player Franco Scaldaferri who is a utility back for Italian club Colorno and brothers Pierre and Jean Cotarmanac’h. Scaldaferri is from Uruguay and is a product of Montevideo’s Champagnat club.
The Cotarmanac’h brothers play for Rennes and Vannes respectively. Pierre Cotarmanac’h is primarily a fly half while Jean Cotarmanac’h plays scrum-half. They are French born and raised and qualify for Uruguay via their father. Jean Cotarmanac’h formerly played for France u20 while Pierre Cotarmanac’h, pictured below, played for Uruguay u20’s.
 URUGUAY ROSTER |
LOOSE HEAD PROP
Santiago Cagnone (Sporting Mar del Plata, AR, uncapped)
Mateo Perillo (Peñarol, 6 caps)
HOOKER
Germán Kessler (Rouen, 72 caps)
Joaquin Myszka (Peñarol, 4 caps)
Sebastián Pérez (Peñarol, uncapped)
TIGHT HEAD PROP
Ignacio Péculo (Chicago Hounds, U.S, 28 caps)
Reinaldo Piussi (Miami Sharks, U.S, 14 caps)
Francisco Suárez (Peñarol, uncapped)
SECOND-ROW
Felipe Aliaga (Peñarol, 20 caps)
Ignacio Dotti (Old Glory, U.S, 72 caps)
Manuel Leindekar (Oyonnax, FR, 43 caps)
FLANKER
Manuel Ardao (Miami Sharks, U.S, 36 caps)
Lucas Bianchi (Peñarol, 24 caps)
Santiago Civetta (Peñarol,, 42 caps)
Carlos Deus (Peñarol, 16 caps)
N8
Manuel Diana (Peñarol, 51 caps)
Manuel Rosmarino (Peñarol, 1 cap)
SCRUM-HALF
Santiago Álvarez (Peñarol, 17 caps)
Jean Cotarmanac’h (Vannes, FR, uncapped)
FLY HALF
Ícaro Amarillo (Peñarol, 7 caps)
Pierre Cotarmanac’h (Rennes, FR, uncapped)
Felipe Etcheverry (Peñarol, 32 caps)
CENTER
Juan Manuel Alonso (Peñarol, 17 caps)
Joaquín Suárez (Peñarol, 8 caps)
Andrés Vilaseca (Peñarol, 86 caps)
WING
Bautista Basso (Peñarol, 16 caps)
Justo Ferrario (Peñarol, uncapped)
Franco Scaldaferri (Colorno, IT, uncapped)
FULLBACK
Francisco Gonzalez Capdevila (Pampas, AR, uncapped)
Juan González (Worcester, UK, 9 caps)
| NOVEMBER 2025 FIXTURES |
 EYES ON RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027 DRAW |
The three match tour has key matches first and last. Uruguay’s goal is to complete wins over Portugal and Romania; doing so will maximize the chances of a favorable draw for Rugby World Cup 2027. The draw will be made in December based on the world rankings at the completion of the November Internationals.
Portugal are presently ranked 20th, Romania 21st and Uruguay 19th. World Rugby will use the rankings as seedings by dividing the 24 teams into four pots: (a) 1-6, (b) 7-12, (c) 13-18 and (d) 19 and lower.
