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Roster of jaguars who will wear the Puma jersey to face Wales and Scotland





Cubelli and Moroni return after overcoming long-standing injuries.

Six Uncapped Players on Argentina Roster for June Internationals:

Javier Díaz (loosehead)
Nicolás Leiva (tighthead)
Santiago Medrano (tighthead)
Bautista Ezcurra (inside center)
Bautista Delguy (wing)
Juan Cruz Mallía (fullback)

https://twitter.com/Argentina_2027/stat ... 1442124805

http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2018/0 ... nationals/

At last Argentinian rugby can move forward once again after a shocking series of losses in summer Tests and the RC. Hourcade has gone. Long overdue. At least the successor has time to turn the ship around for the RWC and bring on board the European based players as well.

PUMITA wrote:At last Argentinian rugby can move forward once again after a shocking series of losses in summer Tests and the RC. Hourcade has gone. Long overdue. At least the successor has time to turn the ship around for the RWC and bring on board the European based players as well.

Argentina have the players to turn things around, sometimes it takes a coach who gets the balance right, good luck.

The Pumas will need more than luck. The UAR executives have made too many mistakes.

Yesterday, Pablo Matera has been named the new Pumas captain, replacing Agustín Creevy.

Puma wrote:Yesterday, Pablo Matera has been named the new Pumas captain, replacing Agustín Creevy.

Very worthy choice. That back row of Matera, Isa and Kremer will be a real force at next years World Cup. I'm sure Ledesma will get changes instituted in domestic rugby to see the re-emergence of the ferocious Argentine scrum which has been far from the case in recent seasons.

PUMITA wrote:I'm sure Ledesma will get changes instituted in domestic rugby to see the re-emergence of the ferocious Argentine scrum which has been far from the case in recent seasons.

He's been working with several props from lower divisions (who usually work in their scrummaging a bit more than the top clubs) and also sending top retired props to dictate clinics throughout the country in order to have the clubs age group and child coaching structures to re-focus on scrummaging (specially individual techniques and body positions).

The common diagnose is that the formation has been neglected mostly in Buenos Aires and some other large Provinces because of short-term goals in youth rugby...

Puma wrote:

PUMITA wrote:I'm sure Ledesma will get changes instituted in domestic rugby to see the re-emergence of the ferocious Argentine scrum which has been far from the case in recent seasons.

He's been working with several props from lower divisions (who usually work in their scrummaging a bit more than the top clubs) and also sending top retired props to dictate clinics throughout the country in order to have the clubs age group and child coaching structures to re-focus on scrummaging (specially individual techniques and body positions).

The common diagnose is that the formation has been neglected mostly in Buenos Aires and some other large Provinces because of short-term goals in youth rugby...

Good to hear Puma. Any knowledge on what we can expect from the former u20's Sordoni and Vivas in the back row. How are they in terms of talent compared to the likes of Matera, Isa and Kremer. Future first team squad regulars ?

What kind of team can we expect for the game on Saturday? Picking form a full deck or will it be a bit experimental?

paddyor wrote:What kind of team can we expect for the game on Saturday? Picking form a full deck or will it be a bit experimental?

Ledesma tested these 15 today:

15. Boffelli
14. Delguy
13. Orlando
12. De La Fuente
11. Moyano
10. Sánchez
9. Cubelli
8. Ortega Desio
7. Petti (has never been experimented with this variant)
6. Matera (c)
5. Lavanini
4. Alemanno
3. Medrano
2. Creevy
1. García Botta

Carfer wrote:

paddyor wrote:What kind of team can we expect for the game on Saturday? Picking form a full deck or will it be a bit experimental?

Ledesma tested these 15 today:

15. Boffelli
14. Delguy
13. Orlando
12. De La Fuente
11. Moyano
10. Sánchez
9. Cubelli
8. Ortega Desio
7. Petti (has never been experimented with this variant)
6. Matera (c)
5. Lavanini
4. Alemanno
3. Medrano
2. Creevy
1. García Botta

Is that full strength? Sanchez has been playing well though I feel his defence can be ROG like at times. Matera is a bit of a beast - will you be playing from everywhere or more conservatively?

Luckycharmer wrote:

Carfer wrote:

paddyor wrote:What kind of team can we expect for the game on Saturday? Picking form a full deck or will it be a bit experimental?

Ledesma tested these 15 today:

15. Boffelli
14. Delguy
13. Orlando
12. De La Fuente
11. Moyano
10. Sánchez
9. Cubelli
8. Ortega Desio
7. Petti (has never been experimented with this variant)
6. Matera (c)
5. Lavanini
4. Alemanno
3. Medrano
2. Creevy
1. García Botta

Is that full strength? Sanchez has been playing well though I feel his defence can be ROG like at times. Matera is a bit of a beast - will you be playing from everywhere or more conservatively?

Basically, it's the best Ledesma's got handly today.
If not injured, Tetaz Caparro and Figallo would be the starting props.
Tuculet (recovering from a knee injury) used to be the full back starter but Boffelli consolidated very well in that position (it was wing until Tuculet's injury).
Cubelli instead of Bertranou seems to respond to a rotation plan between the 3 scrum halves competing for the jersey 9.
Moving Petti from his usual lock position to loose forward is an experiment that was claimed by many Los Pumas fans.

Carfer wrote:

Luckycharmer wrote:

Carfer wrote:

paddyor wrote:What kind of team can we expect for the game on Saturday? Picking form a full deck or will it be a bit experimental?

Ledesma tested these 15 today:

15. Boffelli
14. Delguy
13. Orlando
12. De La Fuente
11. Moyano
10. Sánchez
9. Cubelli
8. Ortega Desio
7. Petti (has never been experimented with this variant)
6. Matera (c)
5. Lavanini
4. Alemanno
3. Medrano
2. Creevy
1. García Botta

Is that full strength? Sanchez has been playing well though I feel his defence can be ROG like at times. Matera is a bit of a beast - will you be playing from everywhere or more conservatively?

Basically, it's the best Ledesma's got handly today.
If not injured, Tetaz Caparro and Figallo would be the starting props.
Tuculet (recovering from a knee injury) used to be the full back starter but Boffelli consolidated very well in that position (it was wing until Tuculet's injury).
Cubelli instead of Bertranou seems to respond to a rotation plan between the 3 scrum halves competing for the jersey 9.
Moving Petti from his usual lock position to loose forward is an experiment that was claimed by many Los Pumas fans.

Is Lavanni still a bit of a loose cannon? Your back 3 are very good but your scrum has looked a lot weaker than the past. It will be a real test for our outside defence. You also seem to grubber kick a lot more than most teams which will be a real test of Larmours positioning if he starts at fullback.

Luckycharmer wrote: Is Lavanni still a bit of a loose cannon? Your back 3 are very good but your scrum has looked a lot weaker than the past. It will be a real test for our outside defence. You also seem to grubber kick a lot more than most teams which will be a real test of Larmours positioning if he starts at fullback.

Lavanini is much more controlled, in fact, Los Pumas, as a whole, improved a lot in this area and is the only Team that didn't receive any yellow (or red) card in RC 2018. With the scrum there is no possible improvement in the short term (except to use props playing in Europe) because it was a position (prop) and a facet of the game (scrum) very neglected by the Argentine rugby during the last decade. With Ledesma, the game is much more structured and you no longer try to get out by playing hands from our own ingoal. It is used much more the game with the foot because it is intended to put the ball in certain areas of the pitch and pressure and face the attack in areas closer to the opponent's ingoal.

Carfer wrote:

paddyor wrote:What kind of team can we expect for the game on Saturday? Picking form a full deck or will it be a bit experimental?

Ledesma tested these 15 today:

15. Boffelli
14. Delguy
13. Orlando
12. De La Fuente
11. Moyano
10. Sánchez
9. Cubelli
8. Ortega Desio
7. Petti (has never been experimented with this variant)
6. Matera (c)
5. Lavanini
4. Alemanno
3. Medrano
2. Creevy
1. García Botta

Thank very much this confirms I know something (a little about the game) I have been saying that Petti is a third rower for years.

julian wrote:

Carfer wrote:

paddyor wrote:What kind of team can we expect for the game on Saturday? Picking form a full deck or will it be a bit experimental?

Ledesma tested these 15 today:

15. Boffelli
14. Delguy
13. Orlando
12. De La Fuente
11. Moyano
10. Sánchez
9. Cubelli
8. Ortega Desio
7. Petti (has never been experimented with this variant)
6. Matera (c)
5. Lavanini
4. Alemanno
3. Medrano
2. Creevy
1. García Botta

Thank very much this confirms I know something (a little about the game) I have been saying that Petti is a third rower for years.

I wanted him to be tested as N8 because, since Isa emigrated to France, we've fallen short in that position (players with projection towards 2023).

Argentina XV has just defeated USA 45 - 14 in the 2nd round of the Americas Rugby Championsip... Quite a surprising result, with Arg XV dictating terms from the very beginning and even holding tveir own in the scrum, where it looked like they were up for a slaughter.

7 tries to 2, wirh USA scoring theirs in the final 3 minutes... Don't know how strong the USA side was, but ARG had only a couple of players who might get a marginal call up for the RWC. Then of course it didn't look like the USA side who put 70 on Chile last week.

Centre Paul Lassike saw a red card on the 32nd minute for stomping on a rival's head, but the match was 21-0 at that point already...

Several news sites have reorted over the weekend that UAR has lifted the restriction for overseas players in Los Pumas, and coach Ledesma will have a free hand on calling them up.

My calls:

Definite starters: Sanchez, Figallo

Very good chance of a start: Imhoff, Isa

Could have a place in the 23: Herrera (still lacks decent scrummaging IMHO, unless his current stint in France has taught him something...) Pato Fernandez, Urdapilleta, Bosch (the hooker, not the centre).

Can't think about many others, I might be forgetting some: both Socino brothers whose form i know nothing about, Bosch (the centre)

Puma wrote:Several news sites have reorted over the weekend that UAR has lifted the restriction for overseas players in Los Pumas, and coach Ledesma will have a free hand on calling them up.

My calls:

Definite starters: Sanchez, Figallo

Very good chance of a start: Imhoff, Isa

Could have a place in the 23: Herrera (still lacks decent scrummaging IMHO, unless his current stint in France has taught him something...) Pato Fernandez, Urdapilleta, Bosch (the hooker, not the centre).

Can't think about many others, I might be forgetting some: both Socino brothers whose form i know nothing about, Bosch (the centre)

Hows Muller going at Oyonnax? He always had the physical attributes.

frillage wrote:

Puma wrote:Several news sites have reorted over the weekend that UAR has lifted the restriction for overseas players in Los Pumas, and coach Ledesma will have a free hand on calling them up.

My calls:

Definite starters: Sanchez, Figallo

Very good chance of a start: Imhoff, Isa

Could have a place in the 23: Herrera (still lacks decent scrummaging IMHO, unless his current stint in France has taught him something...) Pato Fernandez, Urdapilleta, Bosch (the hooker, not the centre).

Can't think about many others, I might be forgetting some: both Socino brothers whose form i know nothing about, Bosch (the centre)

Hows Muller going at Oyonnax? He always had the physical attributes.

That's one who might've slipped under my radar. He might not be amongst the clear cut starters today, but he might very well compete for a plae in the squad, although the competition at winger is currently fierce, with Moyano and Delguy doing quite well, Boffelli coming back from injury and Osdaczuk (sp?) coming through the ranks (7s and Argentina XV) with a very solid claim too.

Puma wrote:Several news sites have reorted over the weekend that UAR has lifted the restriction for overseas players in Los Pumas, and coach Ledesma will have a free hand on calling them up.

My calls:

Definite starters: Sanchez, Figallo

Very good chance of a start: Imhoff, Isa

Could have a place in the 23: Herrera (still lacks decent scrummaging IMHO, unless his current stint in France has taught him something...) Pato Fernandez, Urdapilleta, Bosch (the hooker, not the centre).

Can't think about many others, I might be forgetting some: both Socino brothers whose form i know nothing about, Bosch (the centre)

1. Tetaz Chaparro ---------- ¿Vivas?
2. Creevy ---------- Montoya
3. Figallo ---------- ¿ Medrano / Pieretto / Herrera ?
4. Petti ---------- Galarza
5. Lavanini ---------- Alemanno
6. Matera ---------- Lezana
7. Kremer ---------- Bruni
8. Isa ---------- Ortega Desio
9. Bertranou ---------- Cubelli
10. Sánchez ---------- ¿ Díaz Bonilla / Urdapilleta / Patricio Fernández ?
11. Imhoff ---------- Moyano
12. De La Fuente ---------- Orlando
13. Noroni ---------- ¿ Mallía / Osadczuk ?
14. Cordero ---------- Delguy
15. Boffelli ---------- Tuculet

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

15. Boffelli ---------- Tuculet
14. Cordero ---------- Delguy
13. Noroni ---------- ¿ Mallía / Osadczuk ?
12. De La Fuente ---------- Orlando
11. Imhoff ---------- Moyano
10. Sánchez ---------- ¿ Díaz Bonilla / Urdapilleta / Patricio Fernández ?
9. Bertranou ---------- Cubelli
8. Isa ---------- Ortega Desio
7. Kremer ---------- Bruni
6. Matera ---------- Lezana
5. Lavanini ---------- Alemanno
4. Petti ---------- Galarza
3. Figallo ---------- ¿ Medrano / Pieretto / Herrera ?
2. Creevy ---------- Montoya
1. Tetaz Chaparro ---------- ¿Vivas?

I want a keyboard that does an upsidedown ?

I knew something was coming about european based players available for Pumas but not ready for Ledesma's words. Which sounded like pure gold to my ears.

He told french clubs that he will convoke as many argentinian Europe based players in the occasions and terms he would like.

It feels good! we will finally have a not depleted team.

My picks:

ISA
FIGALLO
SANCHEZ
BOSCH

(maybe Imhoff)

I don't like Herrera (he is scrummaging is a shame) and talking about Imhoff we have plenty of wingers to choose from

Although I really like Urdapilleta I am not sure he will adapt to Pumas's game.

That's it.

What we need is couple of centers and maybe a hooker (Bosch?).

Ledesma is travelling to Europe this weekend to watch England and France, and he has scheduled meetings with the following players, according to Argentine news sites:

Facundo Gigena (LHP, Leicester Tigers), Lucas Noguera Paz (LHP, Bath), Santiago Socino (hooker, Newcastle Falcons), Tomás Baravalle (hooker, Benetton Treviso), Juan Figallo (THP, Saracens), Ramiro Herrera (THP, Stade Français), Francisco Gómez Kodella (THP, Lyon), Mariano Galarza (lock, Bordeaux), Facundo Isa (backrower, Toulon), Nicolás Sánchez (FH, Stade Français), Benjamín Urdapilleta (FH, Castres), Marcelo Bosch (centre, Saracens), Juan Imhoff (winger, Racing 92) & Santiago Cordero (winger, Exeter).

Los Pumaguares are accumulating a worrisome amount of injuries throughout the first few weeks of SR...

This week's tally saw Landajo (fractured jaw) and Delguy (ankle ligaments), both out for quite long terms, with surgeries required.

With Bertranou also out since week 2 with a shoulder injury demanding surgery too, our depth at SH will be severely tested. I guess Felipe Ezcurra is next in line, and will be at the bench for weeks to come...

So no Cordero or Imhoff. A bit of a surprise to me. Delguy should be fit then ? No real surprises in the selection of the European based players. Santi Socino did the right thing in playing for the Jaguares and throwing himself into contention.

So the exciting rugby, cohesion and discipline of the Jaguares coached by Quesada lasted probably for only the Test match against NZ (the 16-20 loss). Since then it's been a case of nearly but never. The sole thing I see Ledesma improving is the scrum. The other aspects have been below par.

Player selection was abysmal and the huge potential of the backs was barely realized at this WC. Los Pumas performed hugely below par given the players available. A semifinal spot should have been the goal. To be dumped out in the group was poor. I really think the team needs a better head coach than Ledesma who the UAR have tied their colours to the mast.

PUMITA wrote:So the exciting rugby, cohesion and discipline of the Jaguares coached by Quesada lasted probably for only the Test match against NZ (the 16-20 loss). Since then it's been a case of nearly but never. The sole thing I see Ledesma improving is the scrum. The other aspects have been below par.

Player selection was abysmal and the huge potential of the backs was barely realized at this WC. Los Pumas performed hugely below par given the players available. A semifinal spot should have been the goal. To be dumped out in the group was poor. I really think the team needs a better head coach than Ledesma who the UAR have tied their colours to the mast.

What Argentina needs is one or better yet, two more Super Rugby sides to create some depth in the squad.

Montoya off to Leicester. More opportunities for Socino. Creevy on his last legs. Baldunciel to make the step up ?

PUMITA wrote:Montoya off to Leicester. More opportunities for Socino. Creevy on his last legs. Baldunciel to make the step up ?

Jaguares seems to be all but formally disbanded.

Players are emigrating to French clubs again, this time with UAR's approval.

Looks like the Jaguares will be an u21 team in all but name. Throw them in the deep end to see how they get on Puma. Petti is off somewhere as well.

Once this mess is all over I'm sure it will be resurrected. Miotti is surely a target as well. Wonderful all round game and possibly the best 10 for a long while in a Pumas shirt.

With Los Pumas in Australia for the 3N, Argentina XV is playing the South American championship in Uruguay.

After two rounds, the team has been pretty unconvincing in their return to play:

Round 1 (October 16th)
Argentina XV 25 - 24 Chile
Uruguay 25 - 17 Brasil

Round 2 (October 21st)
Argentina XV 40 - 15 Brasil
Uruguay 21 - 22 Chile

Argentina XV: Francisco Minervino, Ignacio Ruiz, Lucas Favre; Federico Gutiérrez, Franco Molina; Lautaro Bavaro, Santiago Ruiz, Javier Ortega Desio; Joaquín Pellandini, Santiago Mare; Matías Osadczuk, Teo Castiglioni, Tomás Cubilla (c), Leopoldo Herrera; Martín Cancelliere.

Coach: Ignacio Fernández Lobbe.

Reserves: Martín Vaca, Javier Díaz, Estanislao Carullo, Rodrigo Martínez, Ramiro Tallone, Lautaro Bazán Vélez, Juan Pablo Castro, Facundo Ferrario, Mateo Carreras, Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel & Santiago Portillo.

This group has a few names with Pumas / Jaguares / 7s history there (Ortega Desio, Bavaro, Mare, Osdaczuk, Bazan Velez) and a large group of young players with expected projection.


Meanwhile, UAR has confirmed that there will be no local competition at all during this year (COVID-19 is still quite big down here, with around 20K contagions a day throughout the country).

Los Pumas squad in Australia...

1 Albornoz, Tomás
2 Alemanno, Matías
3 Bertranou, Gonzalo
4 Boffelli, Emiliano
5 Bosch, Facundo
6 Bruni, Rodrigo
7 Calás, Ignacio
8 Calles, Ignacio
9 Cancelliere, Sebastián
10 Carreras, Santiago
11 Chocobares, Santiago
12 Cinti, Lucio
13 Cordero, Santiago
14 Cubelli, Tomás
15 De la Fuente, Jerónimo
16 Delguy, Bautista
17 Gómez Kodela, Francisco
18 Ezcurra, Felipe
19 Fernández Criado, Rodrigo
20 González, José Luis
21 González, Juan Martín
22 Gorrissen, Francisco
23 Grondona, Santiago
24 Imhoff, Juan
25 Isa, Facundo
26 Kremer, Marcos
27 Lezana, Tomás
28 Mallía, Juan Cruz
29 Matera, Pablo
30 Medrano, Santiago
31 Miotti, Domingo
32 Montoya, Julián
33 Moyano, Ramiro
34 Orlando, Matías
35 Oviedo, Joaquín
36 Paulos, Lucas
37 Petti, Guido
38 Mensa, Lucas
39 Sanchez, Nicolás
40 Socino, Santiago
41 Sordoni, Lucio
42 Tetaz Chaparro, Nahuel
43 Vivas, Mayco
44 Wegrzyn, Federico
45 Zeiss, Juan Pablo

13 players travelling from Europe are still in mandatory isolation in Australia and would be joining the rest of the squad next week.

Meanwhile there's no confirmed date for a preparation match against the Waratahs. It was schedulled for next Saturday but it has been postponed. Allegedly this has been done in order to recover a few players who are nursing minor niggles...

Finally Los Pumas will play Rugby Australia Selection (a reinformced 'Tahs side) tomorrow at 15:00 local time (1 AM in Buenos Aires) in the first match since March for all our players.

The confirmed starting side is:
Santiago Carreras; Bautista Delguy, Juan Cruz Mallía, Santiago Chocobares and Emiliano Bofelli; Domingo Miotti and Tomás Cubelli; Rodrigo Bruni, Francisco Gorrissen and Santiago Grondona; Rodrigo Fernández Criado and Lucas Paulos; Juan Pablo Zeiss, Julián Montoya and Mayco Vivas.

But there will be 15 available reserves, and a high turnover is quite likely IMHO:
Socino, Santiago - Hooker
Tetaz Chaparro, Nahuel - Prop
Medrano, Santiago - Prop
Calás, Ignacio - Lock
González, José Luis - Hooker
Bertranou, Gonzalo - SH
Albornoz, Tomás - FH
Cancelliere, Sebastián - Winger
Wegrzyn, Federico - Prop
Oviedo, Joaquín - 8th
Cinti, Lucio - Centre / Winger
De la Fuente, Jerónimo - Centre
Lezana, Tomás - Flanker
Ezcurra, Felipe - SH
Sordoni, Lucio - Prop

The 13 "Europeans" are still in quarantine, having arrived in Australia on the 21st, and it's quite likely that many of them will eventually start in the first 3N test on the 14th.

LP management has stated they expect to have two more matches before that date.

What is the composition of the coaching staff Puma ? Any consultants ? Is Quesada there as well ?

Nice to see Miotti moving up the order although that pretty much looks like an u23 line up. Ozadczuk (Czech parents) was the next flying express train to come into the set up after his efforts in the sevens. How is he doing ?

If Miotti finds form he can be the x - factor

Argentina 19 v Rugby Australia Selection 15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jtskZo ... e=emb_logo

At least they have the stones to turn up and play

PUMITA wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2020 9:02 am What is the composition of the coaching staff Puma ? Any consultants ? Is Quesada there as well ?

Nice to see Miotti moving up the order although that pretty much looks like an u23 line up. Ozadczuk (Czech parents) was the next flying express train to come into the set up after his efforts in the sevens. How is he doing ?

Cheika is the only consultant, and Quesada is now the HC of Stade Francais...

Haven't been able to watch this match so far, not even highlights...

Attached compact link of the warm-up game against Australia A. Ozadczuk (last name sounds Ukrainian, maybe his ancestors passed through the Czech Republic) stayed in Uruguay and had a very interesting performance in the South American Four Nations and, together with Mare, rejoined the Pumas 7s post tournament.
Cheika is an external consultant during the Tri Nations in Australian lands and Lofreda fulfills managerial functions (he manages player availability in Europe, transmits the puma culture -which under his coaching went far at RWC 2007- and I suspect that he must be lending a hand with the assemblage of the "Europeans" (Ledesma recognized that he failed in that aspect at RWC 2019). Finally, Quesada's assistants traveled (Juan de la Cruz Fernandez Miranda and Andres Bordoy) because the staff have to work with 45 men and JCFM stayed with the Europeans in quarantine (4 weeks in total, along with a kinesiologist).

http://www.espn.com.ar/video/clip?id=7666459