Arg name 13 internationals in squad
by Brenden Nel | 06 January 2010 (08:16)
Miguel Avramovic © Action Images
Argentina have named a strong squad to take part in their first Vodacom Cup tournament in South Africa.
The team -- which is said to be named the Pampas XV -- will compete in the Southern section of the Vodacom Cup to spice up the tournament, and will feature a number of test players who are based in Argentina.
The initiative -- which also sees Namibia competing in the Northern section of the competition, will give the third tier tournament an impetus of international talent that should raise the bar in the competition.
The Pampas team named includes 13 players who have represented Argentina at test level, with the most experienced of those being Miguel Avramovic. Avramovic played for the last three seasons in Europe but came home to complete his medical studies.
He was first capped in 2005 and has played for both Worcester and Montauban in England and France respectively at either centre or fullback.
Avramovic also played in the under-21 World Cup in South Africa in 2002 and is thus no stranger to the country.
The big coup for the Argentineans is the inclusion of their flyhalf/centre combination Santiago Fernánd and Martín Rodríguez, both of whom started at 10 and 12 in their last three tests in Europe, with Rodríguez kicking the drop goal that won them the test match against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Livewire flanker Tomás Leonardi started against England and Wales in the Autumn internationals last year while other players who played on the European tour last year include Mauro Comuzzi, Agustín Creevy, Miguel de Achával, Agustín Figuerola, Mariano Galarza, Horacio San Martín and Benjamín Urdapilleta.
Local fans will definitely remember San Martin while Urdapilleta was a late replacement in Argentina’s test against the Springboks at Ellis Park in 2008.
Nicolás Bruzzone, one of the stars of Argentina’s Sevens side in Dubai and George over the past two months, also earned himself a call-up to the team with his good form.
Squad: (clubs in brackets), * denotes test Cap
Belisario Agulla (Hindú), Francisco Albarracín (La Plata RC) *, Miguel Avramovic (Alumni) *, César Bettoli (Tucumán Lawn Tennis), Nicolás Bruzzone (SIC), Martín Bustos Moyano (Córdoba Athletic) *, Carlos Cáceres (Tucumán Lawn Tennis), Mauro Comuzzi (Pucará) *, Matías Cortese (Liceo RC Mendoza) *, Agustín Creevy (San Luis) *, Miguel de Achával (Alumni), Gastón De Robertis (Regatas Bella Vista), Juan Pablo Estelles (Atlético del Rosario), Santiago Fernández (Hindú) *, Genaro Fessia (Córdoba Athletic) *, Agustín Figuerola (CASI) *, Mariano Galarza (Universitario de La Plata), Santiago González Iglesias (Alumni), Agustín Gossio (Newman), Santiago Guzmán (Tucumán Rugby), Tomás Leonardi (SIC) *, Benjamín Macome (Tucumán Rugby), Guillermo Roán (La Plata RC), Tomás Roán (La Plata RC), Martín Rodríguez (Atlético del Rosario) *, Horacio San Martín (Tala) *, Leonardo Senatore (Gimnasia y Esgrima Rosario), Francisco Tetaz Chaparro (La Plata RC), Benjamín Urdapilleta (CUBA) *
