Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi has named a bold, youth-laden 34-man squad for the Rugby Championship – backing a new generation of Pumas to take the fight to the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies.

Los Pumas open their campaign against New Zealand in Córdoba on 16 August, and Contepomi has signalled a changing of the guard, rewarding a wave of rising stars who debuted in July’s two-Test series against England.

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Nine players with fewer than three caps have cracked the nod, including two uncapped rookies – loosehead Boris Wenger and utility back Gerónimo Prisciantelli – both hoping to make their Test debuts during the tournament.

“Injuries to experienced players like Emiliano Boffelli and Thomas Gallo have opened the door,” said Contepomi.

“But this is also about rewarding the next generation and building depth.”

Among the headline call-ups are 21-year-old Bristol Bears fullback Benjamin Elizalde and 22-year-old scrumhalf Agustin Moyano, both of whom impressed in Argentina’s hard-fought but ultimately unsuccessful July campaign.

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Contepomi also welcomes back several Top 14 stalwarts – Ignacio Ruiz, Marcos Kremer, Santiago Chocobares, Bautista Delguy and Juan Cruz Mallía – who were rested for the England series after a long European season.

But there’s no place for battle-hardened names like Matías Moroni, Tomás Lavanini, or Gonzalo Bertranou, who have all featured heavily for Los Pumas in recent years.

The squad signals a clear shift toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup cycle, while still aiming to remain competitive in what’s expected to be one of the most tightly contested Rugby Championships in years.

Photo: Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images

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