Ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, we take a look at all of the players set to feature in England. Next up, Argentina.
Forwards: Matias Alemanno, Marcos Ayerza, Agustin Creevy, Matias Diaz, Juan Fernandez Lobbe, Ramiro Herrera, Facundo Isa, Tomas Lavanini, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Pablo Matera, Julian Montoya, Lucas Noguera Paz, Javier Ortega, Guido Petti, Leonardo Senatore, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Backs: Horacio Agulla, Marcelo Bosch, Santiago Cordero, Tomas Cubelli, Jeronimo De La Fuente, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Juan Martin Hernandez, Juan Imhoff, Martin Landajo, Matias Moroni, Nicolas Sanchez, Juan Pablo Socino, Joaquin Tuculet.
HORACIO AGULLA
Utility back 1.81m 92kg 22.10.1984
Horacio Agulla made his debut for the national side on December 3, 2005. He was part of the Argentine squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup where Argentina finished third and again four years later in 2011 where he helped the Pumas reach the quarter-finals. The former Dax, Brive and Leicester Tigers player joined Bath in June 2012 and is capable of playing anywhere in the back three and even in the centres.
MATIAS ALEMANNO
Lock 1.99m 115kg 05.12.1991
Second row Matias Alemanno made his international debut in 2014 against Uruguay after making his name with the Jaguars. The young lock played a key role in helping the Jaguars to back-to-back Americas Rugby Championship titles in 2012 and 2013.
MARCOS AYERZA
Prop 1.85m 110kg 12.01.1983
One of the world's leading loosehead props, Marcos Ayerza had to wait a long time to establish himself as first choice for the Pumas. The long-time back-up for Rodrigo Roncero made his debut back in 2004, but it was only in 2012 that he really emerged as a regular starter. A powerful scrummager and skilled all-round player, he has been a rock in the Leicester pack for nine seasons.
MARCELO BOSCH
Centre 1.86m 92kg 07.01.1984
Marcelo Bosch joined Saracens in 2013 from Biarritz where he racked up over 100 appearances. Capable of playing at fly-half or full-back, he’s spent most of his time with his new club in the centres, while also impressing with his long-range goal-kicking. He was part of the Argentina squad at the 2011 World Cup that reached the quarter-finals.
SANTIAGO CORDERO
Full-back 1.76m 78kg 06.12.1993
Santiago Cordero made his debut for the national team against England in November 2013, He also played one match in the 2013 End-of-year rugby union test for the Barbarians against Fiji. One of the most highly-rated young players in Argentina, he currently plies his trade with Regatas while he has also impressed for Argentina's Sevens teams.
AGUSTIN CREEVY
Hooker 1.81m 110kg 15.03.1985
Creevy made his Argentina debut aged 20 against Japan in 2005. Creevy is known as a mobile hooker with some very good ball handling skills and is now captain of the Pumas, taking over from Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe. After spells with Biarritz, Clermont and Montpellier in the Top 14, he moved to Worcester in 2013. In 2014 he returned from injury to lead the Pumas to a shock win in France after impressing as captain during the Rugby Championship.
TOMAS CUBELLI
Scrum-half 1.77m 81kg 12.06.1989
Tomas Cubelli represented Argentina at age grade level and the Argentina Jaguars before debuting for the senior team in 2010. The scrum-half currently plies his trade with Belgrano in Argentina and was a member of the Pampas XV for three seasons. He has also featured on a number of occasions for the Barbarians and in every edition of the Rugby Championship.
JERONIMO DE LA FUENTE
Centre 1.84m 95kg 24.02.1991
Young centre Jeronimo De la Fuente made his Pumas debut against Uruguay in May 2014, scoring his first try against Chile in his second Test. He also featured in the two-Test series with Ireland and spent a couple of seasons on the IRB Sevens circuit. Taking advantage of an injury to Juan Martin Hernandez, he made his first appearance in the Rugby Championship in 2014.
MATIAS DIAZ
Prop 1.85m 115kg 16.02.1990
Díaz is currently playing club rugby for Pampas in Argentina after he spent a year playing Super Rugby for the Highlanders in 2014. The 22 year-old was first recognized when he represented Argentina at the 2012 and 2013 IRB Junior World Championship. He also made his Test debut for the senior team in 2013 and has since been an anchor in the scrum for the Pumas.
JUAN-MARTIN FERNANDEZ-LOBBE
Flanker 1.93m 102kg 19.11.1981
Juan Martin Fernandez-Lobbe made his debut for the national team in 2004 and has been one of the stalwarts in the side for the last decade. He started out playing alongside his brother Ignacio, and was part of the side that finished third in the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He has won the Premiership title with Sale and three Heineken Cups and a Top 14 title with Toulon, and he has captained Argentina on 20 occasions. He led the team to the quarter-finals at the 2011 World Cup.
MARIANO GALARZA
Lock 2.00m 118kg 12.11.1986
Towering lock Galarza currently plies his trade in England for Gloucester. Galarza broke into the scene in 2010 while representing Leinster, which resulted in his Test debut for Argentina that same year. He went on to represent them at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, making three appearances. Galarza is extremely physical at the break-down and a strong ball carrier.
LUCAS GONZALEZ AMOROSINO
Full-back 1.85m 88kg 02.11.1985
Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino made his debut for the Pumas in 2009 and featured regularly for them ever since. Amorosino played for Argentina in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, scoring the winning try against Scotland that allowed them to reach the quarter-finals. He has played for Montpellier, Leicester and Oyonnax before joining Cardiff Blues in 2014.
SANTIAGO GONZALEZ IGLESIAS
Fly-half 1.79m 87kg 16.06.1988
Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias made his debut back in 2009 against Chile, but only returned to the Argentina squad after a three-year absence in June 2014. A fly-half or centre, he spent time playing for the Pampas XV in the Vodacom Cup while he has also signed up to play for the Argentine Super Rugby team in 2016.
JUAN MARTIN HERNANDEZ
Fly-half 1.87m 93kg 07.08.1982
Juan Martin Hernandez first burst on to the scene with Stade Français as a full-back, before switching to fly-half where he played a leading role in Argentina’s third place finish at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. After a spell with the Sharks in South Africa, he returned to Paris with Racing 92 but then left the Top 14 club to focus entirely on the national team. Part of Argentina's squad at the 2011 World Cup, he had a spell with Toulon in 2015, helping them to a third European title in a row.
RAMIRO HERRERA
Prop 1.94m 123kg 14.02.1989
A powerful young prop, Herrera came from nowhere to play a leading role in Castres’ challenge to retain their Top 14 title in 2014. The tighthead prop only joined the side midway through the season as a medical joker but impressed so much that he started the final against Toulon at the Stade de France.
JUAN IMHOFF
Wing 1.85m 90kg 11.05.1988
A huge threat with ball in hand, Juan Imhoff is equally at home at full-back or on the wing. His impressive displays at the 2011 Rugby World Cup earned him a contract with Racing 92 where he has established himself as a starter in their star-studded squad. Blessed with devastating pace, he has a great scoring record at international level.
FACUNDO ISA
Back row 1.88m 106kg 21.09.1993
A promising number eight, Facundo Isa caught the eye of Toulon when he was still just a teenager, joining the French giants back in 2013 when he was still only 19. He spent only a season with the club, but impressed on his return to Argentina. That was enough to earn an international call-up for the Pumas November tour in 2014 where he made his debut off the bench against Scotland. His first start came against Italy a week later while he was key to the win over France in Paris on the same tour.
MARTIN LANDAJO
Scrum-half 1.77m 83kg 14.06.1988
Martin Landajo has been part of the Argentina squad since 2008 when he made his debut as a 20-year-old. He has established himself as a regular at scrum-half, and captained the side for the first time in 2014. He has featured in every edition of the Rugby Championship, having previously missed out on selection for the 2011 World Cup.
TOMAS LAVANINI
Lock 2.01m 130kg 22.01.1993
Tomas Lavanini represented Argentina U20s in the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship. He made his senior debut for Los Pumas earlier that season against Uruguay and was subsequently called into the squad for the 2013 Rugby Championship. A powerful second row, he spent time with Racing 92 in 2014/15 but will return to Argentina for the 2016 Super Rugby season.
JUAN MANUEL LEGUIZAMON
Flanker 1.90m 104kg 06.06.1983
Juan Manuel Leguizamon started off his European club career at London Irish (2005-2008), in England, and Stade Français (2008-2011) and then moved to fellow French club, Lyon in 2011. He made his international debut in 2005 and has over 50 caps. Capable of playing at number eight or on the flank, Leguizamon has featured at the last two World Cups.
PABLO MATERA
Flanker 1.93m 99kg 18.07.1993
Pablo Matera represented Argentina U20s in the 2012 and 2013 IRB Junior World Championships. The flanker made his senior debut for the Pumas against Chile in May 2013 and was subsequently named in the squad for the 2013 Rugby Championship. He joined Leicester in 2013 but after an unsuccessful spell returned to Argentina in a bid to rediscover his best form.
JULIAN MONTOYA
Hooker 1.83m 110kg 29.10.1993
Another up-and-comer, Julian Montoya initially broke through with Argentina U20s, who he helped to a Junior World Championship semi-final in 2013. The following year he was called up by the Pumas to play in the South American Championship, making his first start in a win over Chile. That was enough to earn him caps against both Ireland and Scotland that June while he can also fill in at loosehead when needed.
MATIAS MORONI
Centre/Winger 1.85m 87kg 29.03.1991
Already signed up by the new Argentine Super Rugby franchise, Matias Moroni is a dangerous player with ball in hand. That comes from his performances in the Argentine Sevens team, where he was a regular in 2012 and 2013. He has since returned to XVs and made his Test debut in 2014 against Scotland before featuring on the November tour to Europe.
LUCAS NOGUERA PAZ
Prop 1.79m 108kg 15.10.1993
A young loosehead prop, Lucas Noguera Paz could be the long-term successor to Rodrigo Roncero and Marcos Ayerza in the Puma front row. He made his international debut in 2014 against Uruguay and featured in all three June Tests against Ireland and Scotland. He will play for Argentina's Super Rugby franchise in 2016.
JAVIER ORTEGA DESIO
Lock 1.93m 108kg 14.06.1990
Back row Javier Ortega Desio made his international debut in 2012 having initially made his name playing for Argentina at age grade level and on the IRB Rugby Sevens circuit. He featured in all three June Tests against Ireland and Scotland in June 2014, scoring a try against the Scots in Cordoba before featuring in the Rugby Championship and November tour to Europe.
GUIDO PETTI
Second row 1.94m 108kg 17.11.1994
One of the youngest members of the Pumas squad, second row Guido Petti was only 19 when he made his Test debut against Italy in 2014. A key player at age group level, he represented Argentina at two Junior World Championships before making the step up to the senior team. Despite his inexperience he started the surprise win over France in Paris in November 2014.
NICOLAZ SANCHEZ
Fly-half 1.77m 83kg 26.10.1988
A steadying influence at fly-half, Nicolas Sanchez has established himself as go-to player for the Pumas. He spent three seasons playing in the Top 14 for Bordeaux-Bègles before a spell with Toulon this season and has featured for Argentina in each edition of the Rugby Championship.
LEONARDO SENATORE
Flanker 1.91m 106kg 13.05.1984
Number eight Leonardo Senatore burst onto the scene with a series of impressive displays for Argentina at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and earned himself a contract at Toulon. After a short stint in France he joined Worcester in 2013 where has spent the last two seasons.
JUAN PABLO SOCINO
Fly-half/Centre 1.78m 98kg 30.05.1988
International recognition has been a long-time coming for Juan Pablo Socino, who has spent a number of seasons plying his trade in France and then England. Some good performances for Newcastle this season saw him called up to played the French Barbarians, and Socino, who can play both fly-half and in the centres, did enough to earn a spot in Argentina's Rugby Championship squad.
NAHUEL TETAZ CHAPARRO
Prop 1.88m 121kg 11.06.1989
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro started his career in Argentina with La Plata before joining Stade Français in 2011. After a season with the Newport Gwent Dragons in Wales, he returned to La Plata before heading to Lyon in 2014. After the World Cup he will join up with the Argentine Super Rugby side in 2016.
JOAQUIN TUCULET
Full-back 1.84m 92kg 08.08.1989
Joaquin Tuculet played for Argentina in 2008 IRB Junior World Championship in Wales and in 2009 IRB Junior World Championship in Japan before making his international debut for Los Pumas in 2012. At club level he has spent time with Cardiff Blues, Sale, Grenoble and Bordeaux-Bègles and enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2014 as he established himself as first choice full-back for the Pumas.
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