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Harlequins reveal second Puma signing

Harlequins huddle after the match

Harlequins have signing of Argentina international Loosehead Prop Santiago Garcia Botta for the 2019/20 season.

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The powerful scrummager, who has 33 international caps, will join the Club after the World Cup in Japan, if selected, later this year.

The 26-year-old, who currently plays for Jaguares and was part of the Argentina squad that reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2015, said he was setting his sights on helping Harlequins win trophies in their new era under Head of Rugby Paul Gustard.

He said: “It is brilliant to be joining a club with the drive and ambition that Paul Gustard and his team have at Harlequins. I know I am joining a club with a fantastic heritage and one that is moving in the right direction and with its sights set on winning silverware.”

Gustard added: “We are delighted to welcome Santi to Harlequins and know he will fit in brilliantly to the winning environment we have created at the Club.

“He is a powerful prop who has had an excellent career in Argentina to date and now we look forward to seeing him help us build on the progression we have made this season.

“He is a young man who has already played a lot of Super Rugby and international rugby and will add a significant high level of experience to our squad. He is mobile, aggressive and caught the eye of Bomb [Adam Jones] with his powerful scrummaging.

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“He is joining us as he enters the prime of his career and I know everyone at Quins will welcome him and his girlfriend Maria to the Club as he looks to test himself in different competitions and develop his game further.”

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S
SK 5 hours ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Set pieces are important and the way teams use them is a great indication of how they play the game. No team is showcasing their revolution more than the Springboks. This year they have mauled less and primarily in the attacking third. Otherwise they have tended to set like they are going to maul and then play around the corner or shove the ball out the back. They arent also hitting the crash ball carrier constantly but instead they are choosing to use their width or a big carrying forward in wider areas. While their maul is varied the scrum is still a blunt instrument winning penalties before the backs have a go. Some teams have chosen to blunt their set piece game for more control. The All Blacks are kicking more penalties and are using their powerful scrum as an attacking tool choosing that set piece as an attacking weapon. Their willingness to maul more and in different positions is also becoming more prominent. The French continue to play conservative rugby off the set piece using their big bruisers frequently. The set piece is used differently by different teams. Different teams play different ways and can be successful regardless. They can win games with little territory and possession or smash teams with plenty of both. The game of rugby is for all types and sizes and thats true in the modern era. I hope that administrators keep it that way and dont go further towards a Rugby League style situation. Some administrators are of the opinion that rugby is too slow and needs to be sped up. Why not rather empower teams to choose how they want to play and create a framework that favours neither size nor agility. That favours neither slow tempo play or rock n roll rugby. Create a game that favour both and challenge teams to execute their plans. If World Rugby can create a game like that then it will be the ultimate winner.

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J
JW 10 hours ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

147 Go to comments
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