Argentina announce squad for European tour

[Shaggy]

Here's the squad as per South African site Sport24

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Argentina-reveal-tour-squad-2010102

Argentina reveal tour squad
2010-10-28 21:18

Buenos Aires - Argentina on Thursday announced a 31-man squad for their trip to Europe in November, when they will take on Italy, France and Ireland as part of the autumn internationals series.

Racing-Metro flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez was named in coach Santiago Phelan's squad despite a thigh injury that has kept him out of action since a Top 14 match against La Rochelle on September 11.

The most high-profile absence from the squad was Stade Francais back-row forward Juan Manuel Leguizamon, who was suspended for 80 days in September after an eye-gouging incident in a match against Toulouse.

Argentina begin their tour with a match against Italy in Verona on November 13 before tackling France in Montpellier on November 20 and then taking on Ireland in Dublin on November 28.

A match against the French Barbarians slated for November 6 has, however, been cancelled due to the unavailability of the French players.

"The players playing in the Top 14 have not been freed, because there is a league programme on Thursday, November 4," said the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) in a statement.

Argentina squad

Forwards: Patricio Albacete (Toulouse/FRA), Marcos Ayerza (Leicester/ENG), Manuel Carizza (Biarritz/FRA), Agustin Creevy (Clermont/FRA), Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Toulon/FRA), Genaro Fessia (Cordoba), Juan Figallo (Montpellier/FRA), Mariano Galarza (Leinster/IRL), Alvaro Galindo (Racing-Metro/FRA), Eusebio Guinazu (Biarritz/FRA), Santiago Guzman (Tucuman), Mario Ledesma (Clermont/FRA), Esteban Lozada (Edinburgh/SCO), Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais/FRA), Martin Scelzo (Clermont/FRA)

Backs: Horacio Agulla (Leicester/ENG), Lucas Borges (Albi/FRA), Marcelo Bosch (Biarritz/FRA), Martin Bustos Moyano (Montpellier/FRA), Gonzalo Camacho (Harlequins/ENG), Rafael Carballo (Bordeaux-Begles/FRA), Felipe Contepomi (Toulon/FRA), Miguel De Achaval (Asociacion Alumni), Santiago Fernandez (Montpellier/FRA), Agustin Figuerola (Brive/FRA), Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino (Leicester/ENG), Juan Martin Hernandez (Racing-Metro/FRA), Alfredo Lalanne (London Irish/ENG), Martin Rodriguez (Stade Fran?ais/FRA), Gonzalo Tiesi (Stade Francais/FRA), Nicolas Vergallo (Toulouse/FRA)

 

[Melhor Time]

Los Pumas Head Coach, Santiago Phelan, has confirmed a squad of 31 players for Argentina´s European tour in november which will include international matches against Italy, France and Ireland. The tour was scheduled to include four matches with Argentina taking on the French Barbarians on November 6th in Paris but the match has been cancelled. Instead the match vs Italy in Verona on Saturday November 13 will be the first match and will be refereed by New Zealander Chris Pollock. Argentina last played vs Italy in November 2008 in Torino and won the match 22-14 with Juan Martin Hernandez setting up a superb try for Rafael Carballo.

After taking on the Italians, Los Pumas will then travel to Montpellier, France to face Les Bleus in the lattest contest to continue their rivalry which has seen Argentina win 7 of the 9 tests over the past 10 years. During which time Argentina has won by impressive margins including 28, 24 and 10 points but France´s two victories have been by 6 points in 2008 and 1 point in 2006. The 28 point win occured in June of this year with Argentina winning bu a recrod breaking scoreline of 41-13. November's match will be a first with the beautiful city of Montpellier hosting a high profile match and Jonathan Kaplan of South Africa will referee the contest.

The final match will be played at the brand new Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland one week latter with another South African, Mark Lawrence being in charge of the match. It is a great chance for both sides to shine and this time should see Argentina at close to full strength after last taking on Ireland in 2008 without first choice players in 6 of the 7 back positions. On that day Ireland won 17-3 with a try non fulltime which was there only try of the match.

The selection of 31 players is one more than the number allocated to each country participating at a Rugby World Cup. Interestingly, Phelan has only selected two hookers but has selected five secondrowers but only four backrowers and Gonzalo Tiesi is the only specialist 13 selected. The team contains 28 professional players all based in Europe and three players from Argentina´s Pladar system. Of the 28, 21 play in France with three playing for Montpellier.

A number of players are returning to the team following injuries. Most notably, the hero from France 2007, Juan Martín Hernández who is returning for this first time since June 2009. Other places back in the team include Marcelo Bosch, Gonzalo Oscar Camacho, Alvaro Galindo and Alfredo Lalanne. There is also room for two uncapped players in winger, Martín Bustos Moyano and backrower Miguel de Achaval who both look set to get game time.

Players unavaliable due to injury include Miguel Avramovic and Alejandro Campos (both Agen). Whilst Juan Manuel Leguizamón is unavaliable due to suspension. The loss of Campos and Leguizamon will mean Argentina are missing two first choice backrowers for the tour but it will give others such as Fessia, Galindo and de Achaval the opportunity to impress ahead of New Zealand 2011.

Felipe Contepomi will captain Los Pumas.

Suggested XV:
15 Martín Rodriguez Gurruchaga, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 7 Alfredo Galindo, 6 Genaro Fessia, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Mauel Carizza, 3 Martín Scelzo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Marcos Ayerza

 

[Duckdee]

Aguila and Amorosino have barely played any 1st XV rugby this season, are Argentina that short of players?

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

The pair of them are professionals, though. Only International Rugby is pro in Argentina, from what I hear.

 

[Melhor Time]

Aguila and Amorosino have barely played any 1st XV rugby this season, are Argentina that short of players?

They are certainly not short of players. Rather, they have more options than many sides and many more than they previously did. There is no room for the Glasgow pair of fullback Bernardo Stortoni and wing Federico Martín Aramburu. Both are getting loads of game time this season but cannot make the Argentine squad. It is no secret that Leicester have made poor selections this season and as a result have lost matches that they should have won. Players picked ahead of the two Pumas are not better players. Nevertheless, Agulla is on the out with Argentina but Amorisino is not. Look for Martín Bustos Moyano to be prefered on the wing but maube not over Camacho. He returns from injury this weekend for Montpellier and will start on the wing with two other Pumas in the XV. While, fullback is well and truely owned now by Stade Français new comer Martín Rodriguez Gurruchaga who us the teams best back so far this season and is getting loads of praise in French sources such as rugby365.fr and l´equipe. He is picked as a star of next years World Cup and some are saying he is the new Hernández.







Gonzalo Camacho has been playing a lot for Harlequins this season. He should get a recall in the XV after having over a year out through injury. Wingers Rafael Carballo and Lucas Borges are also both the squad and Carballo was a starter vs France in June.

It is a complete squad. it remains to be seen whether those in doubt can return in time for the first test vs Italy. Notably, Hernández, Ledesma and Roncero.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Galarza is in the squad? Really? Our fifth choice lock? Really? Wow.

 

[Melhor Time]

Feicarsinn

With Cullen missing until recently, Galarza was used as the reserve second rower for Leinster almost always coming on in the final 15 minutes. It looks like he is fourth choice not fifth for Leinster. But, his contract is short term rather than for the entire season meaning the club is not likely to give him a lot of game time regardless of how good hs is or isn´t. Preference will always go to the guys there on permanent deals.

His selection for Argentina was always very interesting. He got the call up in 2008 for the European Tour as an amateur player who nobody had heard of. He played for Univerisdad de La Plata who are not even in the premier URBA division (Top 14). Coach, Phelan, has always rated him very highly but Galarza didn´t play for Argentina at all until June 2010 when he came on as a sub vs France which was his only ever test appearance.

Phelan could select others ahead of him. Argentina have other professionals in Europe and certainly players getting much mroe game time than Galarza. Today´s English Premiership match between Harlequins and Bath will feature two Argentine secondrowers (Tomás Vallejos Cinalli and Ignacio Fernández Lobbe) yet neither of them are in the squad. Phelan has Galarza on his short list for RWC 2011. Two spots are confirmed (Albacete and Carizza) and two vacant. Tomás Vallejos Cinalli seems to be sixth choice at the moment. Pretty hard on him considering his form for Harlquins for whom he has started every match this season.

 

[PlRodny]

Are most of them pros currently? Just wonder about their game level.