Puma to lead Argentina XV vs USA in Fort Lauderdale

Nicolás D’Amorim will lead the Argentina XV into battle against the USA in Fort Lauderdale. The match will be played at Miami CF Stadium on Friday, August 15. D’Amorim leads a roster which is otherwise entirely uncapped. The flanker debuted for Argentina against Uruguay in Salta in July 2025. Injury saw him sitting out the Super Rugby Americas (SRA) season due to injury.

The USA vs Argentina XV will be a non-capped fixture. It provides opportunities for up-and-coming Argentine players to have the opportunity of playing against the USA Eagles, the country’s Senior Men’s test team and a prior opponent of Los Pumas including at Rugby World Cup 2019.

The match falls in between elite capped test matches for Los Pumas. Felipe Contepomi’s team were beaten by the world no. 1 in a competitive match this past Saturday. They next play on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at the Estadio 23 de Agosto in San Salvador de Jujuy.

Of note is that Felipe Contepomi handed out four test debut caps for Los Pumas against the Springboks. Francisco Moreno debuted at tight head prop while three others were replacements. They were back-rowers Juan Penoucos and Juan Martín Scelzo and hooker Leonel Oviedo.

D’Amorim leads a 28-man roster that is coached by former Puma Álvaro Galindo. The players met in Buenos Aires on last week to train at Casa Pumas from Thursday until Sunday. The roster is centered on SRA players who had strong seasons. Players from the four Argentine SRA teams have been considered as have Argentine players from other SRA competitors.

Federico Serpa is the only player on the roster who has not played Super Rugby Americas yet. He has been fast-tracked directly into the squad after standout performances for the Argentina U20s (Los Pumitas).

ARGENTINA ROSTER – FORWARDS

LOOSE HEAD PROP
Diego Correa (CAE and Capibaras)
Nicolás Revol Pitt (La Tablada and Dogos)

HOOKER
Marcos Camerlinckx (Regatas Bella Vistas and Pampas)
Juan Ignacio Greising Revol (La Tablada and Dogos)
Martín Vaca (Jockey Villa Maria and Capibaras)

TIGHT HEAD PROP
Enzo Avaca (Tala RC and Capibaras)
Galo Fernández (Universitario and Dogos)

SECOND-ROW
Joaquin Domínguez (Córdoba Athletic and Yacaré, PY)
Rodrigo Fernández Criado (Belgrano Athletic and Pampas)
Felipe Villagrán (CAE and Capibaras)

FLANKER
Nicolás D’Amorim (Hindú)
Faustino Santarelli (Newman and Pampas)
Agustín Sarelli (Marista and Tarucas)
Francisco Sluga (Buenos Aires and Pampas)

NO. 8
Juan Pedro Bernasconi (La Plata RC and Pampas)
Thiago Sbrocco (Universitario and Tarucas)

ARGENTINA ROSTER – BACKS

SCRUM-HALF
Alejo Sugasti (Jockey Rosario and Capibaras)
Nicolás Viola (Jockey Córdoba and Dogos)

FLY HALF
Ignacio Dogliani (Jockey Rosario and Capibaras)
Federico Serpa (Los Tordos and Pumitas)

CENTER
Bautista Estelles (Atlético del Rosario and Capibaras)
Felipe Ledesma (SIC and Pampas)
Bautista Lescano (CAE and Dogos)
Facundo Pueyrredón (La Tablada and Dogos)

WING
Nicolás De Vertiz (Tala RC and Dogos)
Mateo Pasquni (Tucumán Rugby and Tarucas)
Franco Rossetto (CAE and Capibaras)

FULLBACK
Tomás Elizalde (Tigres RC and Tarucas)