The calendar proposes a challenge that is as demanding as it is attractive at the same time, and to face it in the best way, the national youth team has been carrying out hard work for some time. It’s all about effort and dedication that will soon be seen when the time comes to compete in the interesting Rugby Championship U20, whose first experience will take place between May 2 and 12 in Sunshine Coast, Australia. In this competition, as happens with the majors, Los Pumitas will compete against the Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans; There will be three days with a system of competition of all against all.
Once the preparation process was completed, head coach Álvaro Galindo, together with his collaborators (Galo Álvarez Quiñones and Carlos Mohapp), designated the 31 players who will play in the Rugby Championship U20. This test will be the prelude to the performance in the World Cup of the category, scheduled between June 29 and July 19 in South Africa (in the cities of Cape Town and Western Cape). In the World Cup, the Argentine team will face South Africa, England and Fiji in Zone C. In the 2023 World Cup, the national youth team finished in ninth place.
After the confirmation of the squad, Álvaro Galindo offered the following analysis: “Participating in the Rugby Championship is for us the best way to prepare, regardless of what the competition itself is, with the best teams in the Southern Hemisphere. We are going to have to adapt to the same conditions that older players must face, such as the hours of travel and the fact of playing three highly demanding games in a few days. For this reason, I consider that it is the best way for our players to compete at this level, and also have a reference for what we are going to find later in the World Cup.
“We are very happy – he added – with the amount of activity we had during the preparation process, starting on January 15 with players distributed in the franchises and in the Academies; We compete with franchises, with clubs, and that gave us a good reference. Now, in this last stretch, we are looking for the boys to add as many playing minutes as possible in the different teams in which they are involved, so we arrive with a good rhythm. Then we will see in this first experience in the tournament if we can put into practice the good work that was done, knowing that it is a very demanding competition,” said the coach of the national team.
In the Rugby Championship U20, Los Pumitas will debut against Australia, in their second match they will play with the New Zealanders, and the closing of the competition will be against the South Africans. All matches will be held at the Sunshine Coast Stadium, a venue with capacity for 10,000 spectators.
The following is the detail of each of the three days of the Rugby Championship M20:
Thursday May 2
New Zealand vs South Africa (at 04:00 in our country)
Argentina vs Australia (at 06:00 in our country)
Tuesday May 7
Argentina vs New Zealand (at 04:00 a.m. in our country)
Australia vs South Africa (at 06:00 a.m. in our country)
Sunday May 12
Argentina vs South Africa (at 00:30 a.m. in our country)
Australia vs New Zealand (at 2:30 a.m. in our country)
The list of the 31 players that will make up the Los Pumitas squad for the Rugby Championship M20 is the following:
1. ASEVEDOLuciano (RC High School)
2. BARRIOSAlexander (Elves RC)
3. BAZÁN GARGALLOGonzalo (Córdoba Athletic)
4. BERNASCONIJuan Pedro (La Plata RC)
5. BOCCOTomás (Córdoba Athletic)
6. BRUNOFelipe (San Juan RC)
7. CAMERLINCKXMarcos (Bella Vista Regattas)
8. CORREADiego (Club Atlético Estudiantes)
9. IN BIASETomás (French Sports)
10. OF LUCCASantino (La Plata RC)
11. ELIASEfraín (Jockey Club of Córdoba)
12. CHURCHBenjamín (Deportiva Francaise / Tigres RC)
13. FERNÁNDEZ DE OLIVEIRASantos (SIC)
14. MOATSMateo (Belgrano Athletic)
15. GALVANGael (Pucara)
16. GARCÍA IANDOLINOÁlvaro (Los Tordos)
17. MEDINATomás (RC Cardinals)
18. DOWNLOADSJohn (Belgrano Athletic)
19. PEREZ PARDOGregorio (SIC)
20. PODESTÁGenaro (Marist RC)
21. RAPETTITomás (Alumni)
22. RODRÍGUEZEstanislao (Marist RC)
23. RODRÍGUEZFacundo (Jockey Club of Córdoba)
24. LIPSTICKFranco (Club Atlético Estudiantes)
25. ROSSIJuan (RC High School)
26. SANCHEZ VALAROLOFaustino (Palermo Bajo)
27. SARELLIAgustín (Marist RC)
28. SILVATimoteo (SIC)
29. SOLER FILLOYValentín (Tala RC)
30. LIVESJuan Manuel (Los Tordos)
31. WAGENERAntonio (Alumni)
