Newcastle Red Bulls beat Top 14 suitors to land rising Pumas star

Bristol Bears and Argentina full-back Benjamín Elizalde, who was attracting interest from French teams earlier in this campaign, has completed a deal to become Newcastle Red Bulls’ 19th new signing ahead of next season.

Elizalde, 21, who hails from Salta, can also play at outside centre and has made 27 appearances for the Bears and scored five tries since signing from Deportiva Francesa in July 2024 after starting his career with a season at Tigre Rugby Club.

Five of his nine appearances this season have come in the PREM Rugby Cup, and he last played in the Gallagher PREM against Bath in October. He has now signed on at Kingston Park for at least the next two years.

The former Puma Under-20 international played his first four senior games last summer, two Tests against England, then against Uruguay and Australia in the Rugby Championship.

He was courted by several French Top 14 clubs, having been marked out as one to watch by Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi, with Castres and Clermont Auvergne in particular paying close attention to him.

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But he has found his chances at Ashton Gate limited this season after Wales superstar Louis Rees-Zammit emerged as the first-choice full-back for both club and country after signing following his spell in the NFL.

Elizalde will become the second Los Pumas star to arrive in the North East this summer after Newcastle announced the arrival of lock Franco Molina from Western Force when his deal runs out later this year.

The Red Bulls are already home to Argentina tighthead Eduardo Bello, who was signed on a one-year contract last August after recovering from a serious knee injury he suffered on international duty.

Scrum-half Simón Benitez-Cruz will be at the club next season after signing a two-year deal last summer, and Elizalde will become the fifth departure from the Bears this summer after Joe Jenkins, Sam Grahamslaw, James Dun and Sam Wolstenholme.