Argentina chase historic four-peat at SVNS Vancouver without injured coach

Argentina will be without coach Santiago Gomez Cora in Vancouver as they chase history at the fourth HSBC SVNS Series event of the 2024/25 season. Gomez Cora continues to recover from surgery, which saw the legendary sevens guru miss last month’s tournament in Perth.

After winning Cup finals at BC Place Stadium in 2022, 2023 and 2024, Los Pumas Sevens are chasing a title-winning four-peat. Marcos Moneta was among the standouts last February as Argentina rocked New Zealand 36-12 in a one-sided decider.

Moneta headlines a familiar-looking squad for next week’s event from February 21 to 23, with the return of Alejo Lavayen the big inclusion for this team. Lavayen has spent more than a year on the sidelines after suffering a left knee injury during pool play at the Dubai Sevens in 2023.

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Santiago Alvarez, Thomas Elizalde, Agustin Fraga, Matteo Graziano, captain Santiago Mare, Matias Osadczuk, Joaquin Pellandini, Gregorio Perez Pardo, German Schulz, Santiago Vera Feld, Tobias Wade and Santino Zangara have also been named in the touring squad.

The one other player selected is powerful ball-carrier Luciano Gonzalez, who stole the show in the SVNS Perth Men’s Cup final last month, with Argentina beating tournament hosts 41-5 to claim their first piece of silverware for the season.

“We decided to treat this week as if it were the week before the competition, since in Vancouver with the snow and cold we won’t be able to train much,” injury coach Gomez Cora said about the team’s preparation for SVNS Vancouver in a statement.

“We arrived with the same expectations as always, rotating some players to continue to meet this year’s objectives, which are to grow as a team and put more players on the court.”

Argentina had never won a title at the Vancouver Sevens before making history a few years ago. New Zealand, England, Fiji and South Africa were the only nations to taste championship-winning glory in men’s sevens, but it’s been all Argentina in the three events since.

Los Pumas Sevens beat Fiji 29-10 in win their first title at the event before going back-to-back the following year with a 33-21 triumph over France in the decider. Last year’s win over New Zealand was especially memorable, with players celebrating joyfully on the field.

“It is very special to have won three times in the same city,” Gomez Cora added.

“All the tournaments obviously give us the same number of points and we never stop growing and competing, but it is nice to arrive at a place that brings back great memories.”

Argentina have been drawn in a tough group with Olympic gold medallists France, Great Britain who have proven themselves more than capable of an upset in recent events, and newly-promoted Kenya who pushed the All Blacks Sevens close in Perth.

Los Pumas Sevens touring squad for Vancouver

Santiago Alvarez, Thomas Elizalde, Agustin Fraga, Luciano Gonzalez, Matteo Graziano, Alejo Lavayen, Santiago Mare (c), Marcos Moneta, Matias Osadczuk, Joaquin Pellandini, Gregorio Perez Pardo, German Schulz, Santiago Vera Feld, Tobias Wade, Santino Zangara