Rugby

Potential South American Debutants in July Internationals

April 30, 2024

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay all have home test matches in July. The South American teams will use the opportunities to begin the new Rugby World Cup cycle. On the one hand, Los Pumas will play in the Rugby Championship from August. On the other hand, Rugby World Cup qualifiers are fast approaching for the four other countries.

New blood is highly likely in 2024; potential South American debutants can be identified for all five countries. The July Internationals is the prime opportunity. This article looks at players who have put up their hand for selection this year.

ARGENTINA

There are uncapped Argentines shinning bright in professional leagues. Players can be identified from Super Rugby Americas as well as other leagues. Interviews about 2024 have seen Felipe Contepomi mentioning Dogos and Pampas players by name.

Franco Molina is officially the number one contender to make his Puams debut in 2024. The Dogos captain was the one uncapped players involved in Contepomi’s first training camp as head coach. His inclusion notably came with Lucas Paulos not selected. Other second-rowers were World Cup players Matías Alemanno, Tomás Lavanini, Guido Petti and Pedro Rubiolo. Alemanno is now out for the season. He will not play again for Gloucester.

Agustín Creevy was not involved. The veteran hooker was missing as were Santiago Socino and Facundo Bosch. Julian Montoya and Ignacio Ruiz were not joined by a third hooker. There is therefore clearly a spot up for grabs. The form of Bautista Bernasconi for Benetton this season speaks for itself; ARN expects to see him debuting in 2024.

Facundo Isa is taking a year off from Los Pumas. The N8 spot could be covered from within by Joaquín Oviedo, Rodrigo Bruni and Juan Martín González. However, the form of Joaquín Moro for Los Pampas and Bautista Pedemonte for Vannes are noteworthy.

Scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou recently returned from injury. Tomás Cubelli is a key player for the Miami Sharks and has made himself available for Los Pumas. Gonzalo García has impressed for Zebre while Agustín Moyano appears to be a Puma in waiting this year.

Geronimo Prisciantelli and Joaquín de la Vega Mendía have both impressed at fly half in 2024. Like them, Dogos fullback Mateo Soler could be classified as an outsider for a test debut in 2024.

BRAZIL

Os Cobras have been fielding teams dominate by Brazilian test players. Argentines have bolstered certain positions such as prop. One result of this is little in the way of opportunities for uncapped Brazilian players.

Former Brazilian u20 prop Nicolas Alkmin recently made his debut in Super Rugby Americas. The 21-year-old is one to watch out for this year. Brazil’s home matches against Belgium and Hong Kong in July will be the time for a debut.

A second uncapped forward is Maiki Lemes. He is also a former Brazilian u20 representative. The flanker is the only uncapped loose forward on the roster.

In the backs recent attention has turned to Les Sancery version 2.0. Fullback Luca Mignot, and center Carlo Mignot both recently arrived from France and are now Cobras players. Like Daniel Sancery and Felipe Sancery, the Mignot’s are eligible for Brazil. Their explosive arrival was on show against Peñarol in April. ARN expects both to feature, if not start for Brazil, in the July Internationals.

There is another connection between Brazil. Pro D2 player Theó Bastardie has been identified as a potential future player for Os Tupis. Bastardie qualifies for Brazil via player eligibility laws; he has Brazilian family ancestry.

PARAGUAY

Yacare’s roster contains nineteen Argentines. They are of two varieties: (a) players with a family connection who can play for Paraguay’s test team Los Yakares and (b) players signed from Argentina to help lift the level of the team in Super Rugby Americas.

Six of the Argentines are Argentines capped by Paraguay. Others are expected too follow. Center Ramiro Amarilla and prop Ignacio Palillo have played for the Paraguay XV. Both are likely to debut for Paraguay in 2024.

The roster also has two twenty-year-olds who may earn their first caps this year. Paraguayan u20 players Facundo Paiva and Joaquín Mussi have received opportunities for Yacare this year. Both are utility backs. ARN deems their names as likely being on the Paraguayan roster for July.

photo credit: Nicolás Aguilera / Gaspafotos / SRA

CHILE

Chile’s debut at the World Cup was followed by player movement abroad. This opened the pathway for both Chilean players into Super Rugby Americas. It has also happened alongside Selknam selections demonstrating a willingness to try plenty of combinations. As a result, uncapped players have started in a range of positions.

Uncapped front-rowers Simón Donoso, Norman Aguayo, Jorge Delgado, Ignacio González and Baltazar Gurruchaga have all had opportunities in Super Rugby Americas 2024. Back-rowers Ernesto Tchimino and Santiago Edwards have also played.

However, it is in the backs which Chile is most likely to see new caps in 2024. Felipe Méndez and Tomás Salas have both played well at fly half. The former is uncapped and has a good chance of debuting in 2024. Centers Nicolás Saab and Martín Dumay look the part. So much so, that when he is fit again, Matías Garafulic may play wing.

URUGUAY

The early retirement of Eric Dosantos and injury to Felipe Aliaga have left Peãnrol short of second-rowers. Flankers have been used and the outcome has not been a success. When combined with the departure of props to foreign leagues, the Peñarol scrum has been demonstrably weak this year.

Agustín Morales is a possible debutant second-rower but has been playing behind Manuel Rosmarino. This has meant a player five years younger and from a different position has had more opportunities. Rosmarino is one to be placed on the radar but in his usual position covering back-row.

The woes of the scrum will count against props though Joaquín Myszka has impressed at hooker and should be on the radar for a debut. Uruguay is well-served in the position with Germán Kessler, Guillermo Pujadas and Facundo Gattas.

Agustín Ormaechea looks unlikely to play in July. The veteran scrum-half has been held back by injuries this year. Pedro Hoblog is bubbling under for Peñarol. Joaquín Suárez has impressed across the backline. He may well receive a call-up as a center.

7’s player Juan Bautista Hontou has looked sharp for Peñarol. His abilities to deceived opposition players with all-in-hand are a strong point. he has also proven to be a good option as a long-range goal-kicker.