Two Pumas will earn their 50th test caps on Sunday against Scotland. Flanker Juan Martín González and fullback Juan Cruz Mallía will both reach the milestone in the test match taking place at the home of Scottish Rugby.
Juan Martín González has raced to 50 caps in quick time. He made his test debut for Los Pumas against Romania in 2021. His rise to the test team came on the back of solid performances for Los Jaguares XV in Super Rugby Americas and also saw him signed by London Irish to compete in the English Premiership.
The demise of London Irish saw rivals Saracens signing el Mendocino in 2023. The same year saw him playing at the Rugby World Cup in France, holding down a starting position at the age of 22. He has played across the back-row and has been a primary line-out target and prolific try-scorer. He is Argentina’s highest try scorer in the Rugby Championship with 8 and has 12 thus far for Los Pumas.
Juan Cruz Mallía debuted for Argentina in 2018. His first cap was against Scotland in a home test match in Resistencia. El Cordobés became a regular on the roster and was selected for Rugby World Cup 2019. He was selected as a mid-fielder but has gone on to become a mainstay since at fullback.
His professional career began in Argentina with Los Jaguares in Super Rugby. With the team ended due to Argentina being cut from Super Rugby, players were advised to take-up offers from Europe. Mallía signed for Toulouse in January 2021 and remains at the club. He is a four-time French Top 14 champion and a two-time European Champions Cup winner.
