Rugby- Argentina leave out French-based cup finalists for opening Nations Championship clash

Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi has omitted key players from the squad for their Nations Championship opener against Scotland, citing a focus on the upcoming clash against Wales.

Argentina have not selected key players set ​to compete in Saturday’s French Top ​14 final for their first outing ‌in ​the Nations Championship against Scotland next month, coach Felipe Contepomi said on Tuesday. The Toulouse trio of lock Efrain Elias and backs Santiago ‌Chocobares and Juan Cruz Mallia have not been called up for the clash in Cordoba on July 4, while Montpellier flyhalf Domingo Miotti continues to wait for a first call-up since Contepomi took ‌over as coach.

Montpellier and Toulouse clash at the Stade de France on Saturday to decide ‌the French club championship. But the players could be included for the clashes against Wales in San Juan on July 11 and England in Santiago del Estero one week later at the start of the new competition, although fullback ⁠Mallia ​has been injured.

Contepomi’s selection ⁠has six players who featured this year in Super Rugby Americas, with Luciano Asevedo, Juan Penoucos, Agustin Fraga and ⁠Mateo Soler getting a first call-up, while Nicolas Roger and Faustino Sanchez Valarolo have previously been included. “As we ​have done over the last two years, the squad will include development players, which ⁠is extremely important for us as it allows us to get to know them better and prepare them for the ⁠future,” ​the coach said in a statement on Tuesday.

Squad Backs: Tomas Albornoz, Simon Benitez Cruz, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Lucio Cinti, Bautista Delguy, Agustin Fraga, Gonzalo Garcia, Rodrigo Isgro, Ignacio Mendy, Matias ⁠Moroni, Agustin Moyano, Geronimo Prisciantelli, Nicolas Roger, Faustino Sanchez Valarolo, Mateo Soler

Forwards: Matias Alemanno, Luciano Asevedo, ⁠Francisco Coria Marchetti, ⁠Pedro Delgado, Santiago Grondona, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera, Franco Molina, Julian Montoya, Joaquin Moro, Joaquin Oviedo, Leonel Oviedo, Juan Penoucos, Guido Petti, Tomas Rapetti, ‌Ignacio Ruiz, Mayco ‌Vivas, Boris Wenger. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Atlanta; ​Editing by Clare Fallon)