Arata and Leindekar headline Uruguay's Nations Cup absentees as Teros name depleted squad

Uruguay have confirmed a 33-player squad for the World Rugby Nations Cup that is missing a string of established starters, with Castres scrum-half Santiago Arata and captain Manuel Leindekar the most prominent absentees.

Arata, 29, was called up by the Barbarians this month and is one of the few Uruguayans ever to hold a full-time professional contract in a major European league. The 42-times-capped half-back has not been included for the tournament’s opening three rounds. Leindekar, meanwhile, is nursing a minor injury and is prioritising his recovery ahead of pre-season with new club FC Grenoble.

Hooker Germán Kessler, back-rower Santiago Civetta and Baltazar Amaya were also left out of the initial selection, though all three are expected to be available for the November phase of the competition. Prop Francisco Suárez and utility back Felipe Etcheverry are injured and will not be fit in time.

Coach Rodolfo Ambrosio has offset those losses with a number of overseas-based reinforcements, including Arturo Ten Hoever (Niort, Nationale 2), Franco Scaldaferri (Colorno, Serie A Elite), Francisco González Capdevila (SIC, URBA), Juan Gonzalez (Worcester Warriors, Championship Rugby), Jean Cotarmanac’h (RC Vannes, ProD2) and Ignacio Dotti (CF Os Belenenses, Portugal’s Top 12).

Four uncapped players who have represented Uruguay in the SVNS2 sevens circuit have also been called up: centres Ivan Peters and Alfonso Vidal, and scrum-halves Pedro Hoblog and Ignacio Rodríguez Bosch. Despite the relative inexperience across the group, the Teros can still draw on seasoned campaigners in Manuel Diana, Ignacio Dotti and Mateo Sanguinetti.

Sanguinetti framed the tournament as a key building block ahead of the next Rugby World Cup. “The Nations Cup is going to be a very good competition for us, as we are playing against strong teams while going on tour, which are experiences that strengthen the team,” he said. “These are the challenges we need to face ahead of the World Cup.”

Uruguay open their Nations Cup campaign against Georgia on 4 July at Montevideo’s Estadio Charrúa, before hosting Romania on 11 July and Hong Kong China on 18 July.