In June 2016, France played a two-test series against Argentina as part of the 2016 mid-year rugby union tests. They played Los Pumas across the two weeks that were allocated to the June International window (19 June and 25 June), and which were part of the fourth year of the global rugby calendar established by the International Rugby Board, which runs through to 2019. This was the first French tour to Argentina since their drawn series in 2012.
The French domestic Top 14 tournament ended later than usual, as no games were scheduled during the pool phase of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Therefore, the semi-finals and final of the 2015–16 season coincided with the June international window, clashing with the French games on the 19 and 25 June.
Fixtures Date Venue Home Score Away 19 June 2016 Estadio Monumental José Fierro, Tucumán 30–19 25 June 2016 Estadio Monumental José Fierro, Tucumán 0–27
Squads Note: Ages, caps and clubs are as per 19 June, the first test match of the tour.
France On 6 June, Guy Novès named the first set of players for France's two-test series against Argentina. The squad did not include any of the six Top 14 play-offs teams, Castres, Clermont, Toulon, Toulouse, Racing or Montpellier (except François Trinh-Duc who was released by Montpellier for the tour) due to the play-offs taking place between 11 and 24 June.
On 13 June, Novès named a further 11 players on top of the initial 17, after Toulouse and Castres were eliminated from the Top 14 quarter-finals.
On 19 June, Paul Jedrasiak was called up to the squad following Clermont Auvergne's elimination from the Top 14.
Coaching team: Head coach: Guy Novès Forwards coach: Yannick Bru Backs coach: Jean-Frederic Dubois
Argentina On 31 May, Argentina named a 28-man squad for the June internationals against Italy and France.Plantel de Los Pumas para junio
On 12 June, Ignacio Larrague was called up to the squad as an injury replacement for Matías Alemanno.
On 16 June, Ramiro Herrera and Tomás Lavanini were called up to the squad ahead of the two-test series against France.
Coaching team: Head coach: Daniel Hourcade Defence coach: Pablo Bouza Backs coach: Germán Fernández Forwards coach: Emiliano Bergamaschi
Matches
First Test
FB 15Joaquín Tuculet RW 14Santiago CorderoOC 13Matías MoroniIC 12Juan Martín Hernández LW 11Manuel MonteroFH 10Nicolás SánchezSH 9 Martín Landajo N8 8 Facundo IsaOF 7 Tomás Lezana BF 6 Pablo MateraRL 5 Javier Ortega Desio LL 4 Guido PettiTP 3 Ramiro HerreraHK 2 Agustín Creevy (c) LP 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro Replacements:HK 16Julián Montoya PR 17Santiago García Botta PR 18Enrique PierettoLK 19Ignacio LarragueFL 20Juan Manuel Leguizamón SH 21Tomás Cubelli FH 22Santiago González Iglesias FB 23Ramiro Moyano Coach: Daniel Hourcade
FB 15Hugo BonnevalRW 14Xavier MignotOC 13Julien ReyIC 12Jonathan Danty LW 11Djibril CamaraFH 10Jules Plisson (c)SH 9 Baptiste Serin N8 8 Kevin Gourdon OF 7 Raphaël Lakafia BF 6 Loann GoujonRL 5 William DemotteLL 4 Julien Le DevedecTP 3 Rabah Slimani HK 2 Rémi Bonfils LP 1 Jefferson Poirot Replacements:HK 16Clément Maynadier PR 17Uini Atonio PR 18Lucas Pointud LK 19Fabrice Metz N8 20Louis Picamoles SH 21Sébastien Bezy FH 22François Trinh-Duc CE 23Gaël Fickou Coach: Guy Novès
Touch judges: Stuart Berry (South Africa) Luke Pearce (England) Television match official: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
Notes: Rémi Bonfils, William Demotte, Kevin Gourdon, Julien Le Devedec, Clément Maynadier, Fabrice Metz, Xavier Mignot, Lucas Pointud, Julien Rey and Baptiste Serin (all France) made their international debuts.
Second Test
FB 15Joaquín TuculetRW 14Santiago Cordero OC 13Matías Moroni IC 12Jerónimo de la FuenteLW 11Manuel MonteroFH 10Nicolás SánchezSH 9 Tomás Cubelli N8 8 Facundo Isa OF 7 Javier Ortega DesioBF 6 Pablo Matera RL 5 Tomás Lavanini LL 4 Guido PettiTP 3 Ramiro Herrera HK 2 Agustín Creevy (c) LP 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro Replacements:HK 16Julián Montoya PR 17Santiago García Botta PR 18Enrique Pieretto FL 19Tomás Lezana FL 20Juan Manuel Leguizamón SH 21Martín Landajo CE 22Matías Orlando WG 23Lucas González Amorosino Coach: Daniel Hourcade
FB 15Maxime MédardRW 14Hugo BonnevalOC 13Gaël FickouIC 12Rémi LameratLW 11Djibril Camara FH 10François Trinh-Duc SH 9 Baptiste Serin N8 8 Louis PicamolesOF 7 Kevin Gourdon BF 6 Loann GoujonRL 5 Yoann Maestri (c)LL 4 Julien Le Devedec TP 3 Uini Atonio HK 2 Rémi Bonfils LP 1 Jefferson Poirot Replacements:HK 16Clément Maynadier PR 17Lucas Pointud PR 18Rabah Slimani LK 19Paul Jedrasiak FL 20Kélian Galletier SH 21Sébastien Bezy FH 22Jules Plisson CE 23Julien Rey Coach: Guy Novès
Argentina warm-up match On 11 June, Argentina played host to Italy in the lead up to the French series.
FB 15Joaquín TuculetRW 14Santiago Cordero OC 13Matías MoroniIC 12Juan Martín Hernández LW 11Manuel MonteroFH 10Nicolás SánchezSH 9 Martín Landajo N8 8 Facundo IsaOF 7 Tomás Lezana BF 6 Pablo MateraRL 5 Matías Alemanno LL 4 Guido Petti TP 3 Nahuel Tetaz ChaparroHK 2 Agustín Creevy (c) LP 1 Santiago García BottaReplacements:HK 16Julián Montoya PR 17Felipe ArreguiPR 18Enrique PierettoFL 19Javier Ortega Desio FL 20Juan Manuel Leguizamón SH 21Tomás Cubelli CE 22Jerónimo de la Fuente FB 23Ramiro Moyano Coach: Daniel Hourcade
FB 15Luke McLeanRW 14Leonardo SartoOC 13Michele CampagnaroIC 12Tommaso BoniLW 11David Odiete FH 10Carlo Canna SH 9 Edoardo Gori (c)N8 8 Dries van SchalkwykOF 7 Simone FavaroBF 6 Braam Steyn RL 5 Marco FuserLL 4 Quintin Geldenhuys TP 3 Lorenzo Cittadini HK 2 Ornel Gega LP 1 Andrea Lovotti Replacements:HK 16Oliviero Fabiani PR 17Sami Panico PR 18Pietro Ceccarelli LK 19Valerio Bernabò FL 20Robert Barbieri SH 21Guglielmo PalazzaniFH 22Tommaso Allan WG 23Giovanbattista Venditti Coach: Conor O'Shea
Touch judges: Luke Pearce (England) Joaquín Montes (Uruguay) Television match official: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
Notes: Tommaso Boni and Sami Panico (both Italy) made their international debuts.
Statistics Key Con: Conversions Pen: Penalties DG: Drop goals Pts: Points
France statistics NamePlayedTriesConPenDGPtsJules Plisson2014014––Baptiste Serin2032012––Rémi Bonfils210005––Hugo Bonneval210005––Loann Goujon210005––Uini Atonio200000––Sébastien Bezy200000––Djibril Camara200000––Gaël Fickou200000––Kevin Gourdon200000––Julien Le Devedec200000––Clément Maynadier200000––Louis Picamoles200000––Lucas Pointud200000––Jefferson Poirot200000––Julien Rey200000––Rabah Slimani200000––François Trinh-Duc200000––Jonathan Danty100000––William Demotte100000––Raphaël Lakafia100000––Kélian Galletier100000––Paul Jedrasiak100000––Rémi Lamerat100000––Yoann Maestri100000––Maxime Médard100000––Fabrice Metz100000––Xavier Mignot100000––Geoffrey Palis–––––0––
Test series statistics NameTeamTriesConPenDGPtsNicolás Sánchez033015Jules Plisson014014Baptiste Serin032012Rémi Bonfils10005Hugo Bonneval10005Loann Goujon10005Rémi Lamerat10005Manuel Montero10005Guido Petti10005Joaquín Tuculet10005
See also 2016 mid-year rugby union internationals History of rugby union matches between Argentina and France
References