Argentina Name Nations Championship Roster With Facundo Isa Return
Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi named a 33-man roster featuring the return of veteran number eight Facundo Isa for the upcoming Nations Championship fixtures, Americas Rugby News reported. The squad travels to Dublin to prepare for an opening November match against Ireland scheduled for Friday, November 06, 2026, at Lansdowne Road.
Facundo Isa Returns to Squad After Sidelined Years
Isa returns to the international setup following a prolonged absence from the national side. After missing international duty across both 2024 and 2026, and making a lone appearance for Argentina in July 2025, the Pau forward steps back into the team to replace the injured Santiago Grondona. Isa brings 53 test caps of experience to a touring group that faces a demanding slate of four November fixtures across Europe.
The squad selection reflects ongoing adjustments by Contepomi throughout the 2026 season. The absence of a unified global rugby calendar, paired with decisions by South Africa and New Zealand to sit out the 2026 Rugby Championship, forced the coaching staff to blood fresh talent, evaluate new combinations, and hand out selective recalls.
Injuries and Omissions Shape the Touring Selection
Several established figures miss the November trip due to injuries or tactical changes. Loose head prop Thomas Gallo, utility back Santiago Carreras, and Joaquín Oviedo join Santiago Grondona and Ignacio Ruiz on the unavailable list, with Gallo, Carreras, and Oviedo sidelined by long-term injuries.
The roster also leaves out several notable veterans who featured earlier in the year. Matías Alemanno, Gonzalo Bertranou, and Matías Moroni—the latter sitting on 99 test caps—are omitted from the traveling party. In the second row, Franco Molina, a mainstay under Contepomi since his 2024 debut, misses a selection for the first time, making way for the return of veteran Tomás Lavanini from the Highlanders. Uncapped second-rowers Franco Carrera and Luciano Asevedo, both of whom trained with the wider roster this year, are also absent from the final 33.
Argentina Names 33-Man Squad for November Fixtures
Argentina opens its November campaign against Ireland on November 06 in Dublin, followed by matches against Italy in Genoa on November 14, France in Paris on November 21, and a final fixture against England at Twickenham Stadium on the weekend of November 27–29, 2026.
The selected 33-man touring group covers all positions with a mix of European and domestic club experience:
- Loose Head Prop: Rodrigo Martínez (Dragons, 4 caps), Mayco Vivas (Oyonnax, 44 caps), Boris Wenger (Harlequins, 11 caps)
- Hooker: Julián Montoya (Pau, 120 caps), Leonel Oviedo (Western Force, 3 caps)
- Tight Head Prop: Francisco Moreno (Newcastle Red Bulls, 3 caps), Tomás Rapetti (Toulouse, 8 caps), Joel Sclavi (Leicester Tigers, 32 caps)
- Loose Head Second-Row: Efraín Elías (Toulouse, 6 caps), Guido Petti (Harlequins, 104 caps)
- Tight Head Second-Row: Tomás Lavanini (Highlanders, 94 caps), Pedro Rubiolo (Bristol Bears, 31 caps)
- Flanker: Juan Martín González (Saracens, 51 caps), Marcos Kremer (Clermont, 83 caps), Pablo Matera (Honda Heat, 127 caps)
- No. 8: Facundo Isa (Pau, 53 caps), Joaquín Moro (Leicester Tigers, 8 caps), Juan Martín Scelzo (Stade Français, 2 caps)
- Scrum-Half: Simón Benítez Cruz (Newcastle Red Bulls, 15 caps), Gonzalo García (Pau, 19 caps), Agustín Moyano (Western Force, 11 caps)
- Fly Half: Tomás Albornoz (Toulon, 24 caps), Gerónimo Prisciantelli (Racing 92, 6 caps)
- Inside Center: Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse, 35 caps), Faustino Sánchez Valarolo (Dogos, 5 caps)
- Outside Center: Lucio Cinti (Saracens, 45 caps), Justo Piccardo (Montpellier, 13 caps)
- Wing: Mateo Carreras (Bayonne, 36 caps), Bautista Delguy (Clermont, 42 caps), Rodrigo Isgró (Harlequins, 20 caps), Ignacio Mendy (Benetton, 8 caps)
- Fullback: Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse, 51 caps), Mateo Soler (Dogos, 1 cap)
Whether Contepomi’s revised combinations and the injection of returning experience like Isa can withstand a demanding four-week European schedule will be clear as Los Pumas take the pitch in Dublin.