Rugby Championship 2025 Argentina Preview: Can Los Pumas go one better this year?

Argentina are consistently one of the most underrated teams in the world, and are currently the lowest-ranked of any of the sides in The Rugby Championship, occupying seventh place in the World Rankings.

With Australia in sixth, New Zealand in second and South Africa in first, it will be a tough ask for Los Pumas to challenge for their first-ever title in this competition, but they have shown over the summer that they can get big results on their day.

They experienced a rollercoaster of a summer, starting on a high with one of their most memorable victories.

Los Pumas stunned the British and Irish Lions with a thrilling 28-24 win in Dublin, securing the 1888 Cup and sending the Lions off to Australia with a bitter taste of defeat.

However, that momentum quickly faded as Argentina hosted England for a two-Test series in San Juan and La Plata.

Steve Borthwick’s squad emerged victorious in both encounters, grinding out wins of 35-12 and 22-17.

Felipe Contepomi’s side closed out their Summer on a positive note, bouncing back with a dominant 52-17 thrashing of Uruguay in a clash against their South American rivals.

What are Argentina’s fixtures for the 2025 Rugby Championship?

Argentina’s 2025 Rugby Championship campaign begins with two home fixtures against New Zealand, on August 16 in Cordoba and August 23 in Buenos Aires.

They then travel to Australia for back-to-back away matches, facing the Wallabies in Townsville on September 6 and in Sydney on September 13. In the final rounds, Los Pumas play South Africa, first away in Durban on September 27.

They close their campaign on October 4 at Twickenham Stadium in London, meaning they miss out on true home advantage for their second clash with the Springboks.

Round 1: Saturday 16 August – 22:10, Argentina vs New Zealand (Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes)
Round 2: Saturday 23 August – 22:10, Argentina vs New Zealand (Estadio Jose Amalfitani)
Round 3: Saturday 6 September – 05:30, Australia vs Argentina (Queensland Country Bank Stadium)
Round 4: Saturday 13 September – 05:00, Australia vs Argentina (Allianz Stadium)
Round 5: Saturday 27 September – 16:10, South Africa vs Argentina (Kings Park Stadium)
Round 6: Saturday 4 October – 14:00, Argentina vs South Africa (Twickenham Stadium)

How is Argentina’s squad shaping up ahead of The Rugby Championship?

Argentina have named a 33-man squad for the first two rounds of the 2025 Rugby Championship, where they will take on New Zealand at home in Cordoba on August 16 and again in Buenos Aires on August 23.

These two games represent the only two that will be played on Argentine soil for Los Pumas, with their third ‘home’ game against South Africa being held at Twickenham.

Usually, after the two-game mark, head coaches shuffle the pack up and add some new players into the mix, and the same can be expected to happen this year.

Head coach Felipe Contepomi has carefully combined experienced players with exciting new talent, including several players making their first appearances this year.

Six important players are returning to the squad after missing the summer matches. Juan Cruz Mallia, Bautista Delguy, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras, Marcos Kremer and Ignacio Ruiz are all back and ready to make an impact.

Unfortunately, Argentina will be without three key players, Emiliano Boffelli, Benjamin Grondona and Thomas Gallo, who are all recovering from injuries.

Biggest Talking Point

The squad announcement comes with a few surprises, most notably the omission of veteran Matias Moroni, who was arguably the standout performer during the July internationals.

Known for his leadership, Moroni’s absence raises questions about whether the coaching staff is now looking toward the future, particularly with the 2027 World Cup in mind.

Also, with no positions specified, the role of Santiago Carreras remains unclear. 

Used unsuccessfully at fly-half in July, he faces renewed competition at fullback from debutant Benjamin Elizalde.

Contepomi’s selections suggest a subtle shift in direction, with notable absences like Facundo Isa and Tomas Lavanini also signalling that Argentina may be starting to reshape its core heading into the next World Cup cycle.

Squad

Forwards: Julián Montoya (c), Bautista Bernasconi, Joaquín Oviedo, Francisco Coria Marcheti, Lucas Paulos, Nicolás D’Amorim, Guido Petti, Pedro Delgado, Pedro Rubolo, Juan Martín Gonzalez, Ignacio Ruiz, Santiago Grondona, Joel Sclavi, Marcos Kremer, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Pablo Matera, Mayco Vivas, Franco Molina, Boris Wenger

Backs: Tomás Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia, Simón Benitez Cruz, Rodrigo Isgro, Mateo Carreras, Juan Cruz Mallia, Santiago Carreras, Ignacio Mendy, Santiago Chocobares, Agustín Moyano, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Benjamín Elizalde, Gerónimo Prisciantelli, Bautista Delguy

By Charlie Elliott

READ MORE: The Rugby Championship 2025 – Dates, How to Watch and Squad News