Jaguares announce Super Rugby squad heavy with young talent

The Jaguares have signed off from 2018 by announcing their squad to play in the 2019 season of Super Rugby.

The Argentinean-based franchise made the playoffs of the competition for the first time earlier this year and, for the most part, they have been able to keep the band together for another crack at the southern hemisphere’s most-prized club competition.

Nicolás Sánchez (RPI – 85) is one of the key losses, with the influential fly-half heading to Stade Français, whilst experienced operator Juan Martín Hernández has retired, leaving the side’s fly-half options in a bit of disarray. Former Argentina U20 Domingo Miotti has been called up from the Argentina XV and will be in the mix with Santiago González Iglesias (70) and Joaquín Díaz Bonilla (42) for the 10 jersey.

Another prominent former Argentina U20 in Gaspar Baldunciel has been promoted at hooker, as new head coach Gonzalo Quesada seeks to find his long-term successor to Agustín Creevy (80).

The biggest influx of players, however, comes from the 2018 Argentina U20 side, where seven players have found their way into Argentina’s premier club side, including Lucio Sordoni (58), Mayco Vivas, Santiago Carreras and Santiago Grondona, all of whom toured Europe with Los Pumas in November.

Sordoni won his first two international caps on that tour and the tighthead prop will be hoping to establish himself in a Rugby World Cup year, whilst Vivas (loosehead prop), Carreras (full-back) and Grondona (flanker) will all be hopeful of making a number of appearances in the upcoming season.

The youngest member of the squad is Ignacio Mendy at 18 years of age, with the back having played at the U20 level with Argentina back in May, as well as having represented Argentina on the HSBC World Sevens Series this year.

The youthful side will be supplemented by established performers at the Super Rugby level, such as Emiliano Boffelli (79), Pablo Matera (74), Marcos Kremer (56) and the exciting half-back duo of Tomás Cubelli (51) and Martin Landajo (62).

Full squad: Javier Diaz, Santiago Garcia Botta, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Mayco Vivas, Gaspar Baldunciel, Agustin Creevy, Diego Fortuny, Julian Montoya, Santiago Medrano, Enrique Pieretto, Lucio Sordoni, Juan Pablo Zeiss; Matias Alemanno, Tomas Lavanini, Franco Molina, Lucas Paulos, Guido Petti; Santiago Grondona, Marcos Kremer, Tomas Lezana, Pablo Matera, Rodrigo Bruni, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Javier Ortega Desio; Gonzalo Bertranou, Tomas Cubelli, Martin Landajo, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Domingo Miotti; Santiago Chocobares, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Bautista Ezcurra, Ignacio Mendy, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando; Emiliano Boffelli, Sebastian Cancelliere, Bautista Delguy, Ramiro Moyano, Santiago Carreras, Juan Cruz Mallia, Joaquin Tuculet.

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