South American teams fielded test debutants in 2025. Three of them are teams that will compete at the next Men’s Rugby World Cup. The busy year of international competition in 2025 included Uruguay and Chile successfully qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2027. This means South America will repeat the 2023 World Cup by having three participants in Australia 2027 with Los Teros and Los Cóndores joining heavyweights Argentina.
With Uruguay, Chile and Argentina all confirmed for Australia 2027, the year 2026 will be a key year for structuring player rosters. The year 2025 approaches its conclusion with the countdown to Rugby World Cup 2027 well underway. As the new year approaches a question worth answering is who exactly debuted in 2025? This article identifies the new blood for Uruguay, Chile and Argentina in 2025.
| URUGUAYAN REBUTANTS – LOS TEROS’ ROOKIES IN 2025 |
Rookie loose head prop Francisco Suárez had a busy 2025. Súarez earned his first cap in the record win over Romania in July in Montevideo. The following month saw back-rower Manuel Rosmarino and center Alfonso Perillo Albarracin earn their first test caps for Los Teros, both against Paraguay. Perilo Albarracin debuted in Asunción while Rosmarino was a replacement in Montevideo.
Uruguay’s Rugby World Cup Qualifiers took place outside of the international window. The URU negotiated player release directly with clubs. A consequence was Santiago Arata faced Chile but missed out on international duty in November. Rodolfo Ambrosio adjusted by handing a first cap to Jean Cotarmanac’h against Portugal in Lisbon.
Frenchman, Cotarmanac’h was one of three debutants for Uruguay against Portugal. The two others both come from Argentina. Justo Ferrario debuted at outside center while fullback Francisco González Capdevila was a replacement in the Lisbon test match.
 CHILEAN DEBUTANTS – LOS CÓNDRES’ ROOKIES in 2025 |
Flankers Santiago Valenzuela and Augusto Vilanueva debuted for Chile in the win over Romania in July. Both men did so as replacements. They were the only new caps handed out to forwards by Pablo Lemoine all year.
Scrum-half Juan Sebastián Bianchi debuted for Chile in the final test of the year. He was a replacement for Los Cóndores against Italy in Genoa. This was the only case of a first cap earned by a Chilean back in 2025. Bianchi debuted with both Marcelo Torrealba and Benjamin Videla missing.
 ARGENTINE DEBUTANTS – LOS PUMAS’ ROOKIES IN 2025 |
Loose head prop Boris Wenger featured for Argentina for the first-time in 2025. He did so against the British & Irish Lions but had to wait several months for his first cap. It came against Australia in Townsville during the Rugby Championship.
Hooker Bautista Bernasconi was also involved against the British & Irish Lions. His first cap came in Argentina’s next match as Los Pumas faced England in La Plata.
A third front-rower debuted for Argentina in 2025; Tomás Rapetti earned his first cap against South Africa in the final round of the Rugby Championship.
Two back-rowers debuted for Argentina in July. Benjamín Grondona joined his brother, Santiago Grondona by facing England at San Juan while Nicolás D’Amorim debuted against Uruguay in Salta as a replacement.
2025 ended with Felipe Contepomi fielding Simón Benítez Cruz and Agustín Moyano as his scrum-halves for the November tour of Great Britain. Both were rookies with Benítez Cruz playing against the British & Irish Lions and debuting against England in La Plata. Moyano earned his first cap a week later in San Juan.
Two fly halves also became Pumas in 2025. Nicolás Roger debuted against England in La Plata while Geronimo Prisciantelli earned his first cap in Townsville against Australia in the Rugby Championship.
Finally, the July home series saw three further debutants. Benjamín Elizalde debuted in La Plata against England at fullback while winger Santiago Pernas started against Uruguay in Salta and center Faustino Sánchez Valarolo was a replacement in the test match in Salta.
