Montoya to lead young Pumas against British & Irish Lions

Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi has named a 32-man squad to face the British & Irish Lions in Dublin next week, with hooker Julián Montoya leading the Young Pumas as captain.

The squad, selected without many regular internationals involved in Top 14 fixtures, is a blend of Super Rugby Americas talent and experienced campaigners, reflecting Argentina’s commitment to balancing development with competitive ambition.

Montoya, who currently plays for Leicester Tigers, returns to national duty to captain the side, despite participating in his club’s Premiership final just six days before the Lions encounter. His role offers leadership to a squad combining both emerging talent and seasoned professionals.

The squad includes eleven players from Argentina's three Super Rugby Americas franchises: Tarucas, Dogos XV, and Pampas, providing a robust ladder between domestic rugby and international competition.

This group features forwards Luciano Asevedo, Bautista Bernasconi, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Pedro Delgado (Tarucas); Boris Wenger, Pedro Delgado, Leonel Oviedo, Agustín Moyano, and Faustino Sánchez Valarolo (Dogos XV); plus Joaquín Moro, Justo Piccardo, and Santiago Pernas (Pampas).

Alongside this young contingent, Contepomi has opted for established figures including Montoya, Juan Martín González, Pablo Matera, and Joel Sclavi to instill stability.

This fixture marks the beginning of Argentina’s 2025 international season, representing the first test for the newly formed Young Pumas squad.

Following the Lions game, Argentina’s full senior side will reconvene for two Tests against England in July, followed by a match versus Uruguay and participation in the Rugby Championship.

Argentina squad:

Forwards: Luciano Asevedo, Bautista Bernasconi, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Pedro Delgado, Juan Martín González, Benjamín Grondona, Santiago Grondona, Pablo Matera, Franco Molina, Julián Montoya, Joaquín Moro, Joaquín Oviedo, Leonel Oviedo, Pedro Rubiolo, Joel Sclavi, Mayco Vivas, Boris Wenger

Backs: Tomás Albornoz, Simón Benítez Cruz, Santiago Carreras, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Cordero, Benjamín Elizalde, Gonzalo García, Rodrigo Isgró, Ignacio Mendy, Matías Moroni, Agustín Moyano, Santiago Pernas, Justo Piccardo, Nicolás Roger, Faustino Sánchez Valarolo