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Four players to watch as Spain name 42-man Autumn Nations Series squad
By Francisco Isaac
Ahead of the Autumn Nations Series, head coach Pablo Bouza has selected his 42-man Spain squad for their upcoming fixtures against Uruguay, Fiji and the United States of America.
Amongst those 42, Toulouse's tighthead prop Joel Merkler is back in the mix, almost two years after his last Test match for the Leones.
For the past two seasons, the 23-year-old has been heavily involved with Toulouse, starting in nine out of 40 games, which made it impossible for the front-row to join the Spanish national team in the 2023 and 2024 Men’s Rugby Europe Championship or July tours. Seen as one of the best scrummagers in the Top 14, his return to the Spanish setup was long-awaited.
Alongside Merkler, an extra seventeen French-based players have been called up, with the likes of Vannes’s Martín Alonso, Pau prop Jon Zabala and CA Brive’s Asier Usárraga in the fold. This is a significant boost for Spain’s Men’s Rugby World Cup hopes, as they have not previously been able to put out their best team.
Pablo Bouza, former Peñarol head coach who joined the Real Federación Española de Rugby back in 2023, was happy with the opportunity to have the best team available for November.
“Jon Zabala has previously worked with us, and played against Romania in April, while Martín [Alonso] has already shown what he can do when he last played with us in 2023. I have a lot of respect for Merkler making the effort to join the squad, and we are looking forward to seeing what his impact will be."
Notable omissions are flanker and captain Mario Pichardie, who’s still recovering from an injury, as well scrum-half Pablo Pérez, Tarbes loosehead prop Ximun Bessonart, Bayonne No 8 Manex Ariceta, lock Josh Peters and centre Pablo Pérez.
Spain will first welcome Los Teros in Madrid on November 9, followed by Fiji in Valladolid on the 16th before wrapping the year up against the Eagles, a fixture scheduled for the 23rd.
Spain's Autumn Nations Series squad
Forwards: Thierry FUTEU, Bernardo VÁZQUEZ, Santiago OVEJERO, Álvaro GARCÍA, Diego GONZÁLEZ, Jon ZABALA, Lucas SANTAMARÍA, Joel MERKLER, Jacobo RUIZ, Hugo PIRLET, Imanol URRAZA, Ignacio PIÑEIRO, Pablo GUIRAO, Álex PÉREZ, Pepe BORRAZ, Brice FERRER, Asier USÁRRAGA, Matt FOULDS, Raphael NIETO, Ekain IMAZ, Álex SALETA, Vicente BORONAT, Nicolás MOLETI, Marc SÁNCHEZ.
Backs: Tani BAY, Ike IRUSTA, Kerman AURREKOETXEA, Gonzalo VINUESA, Bautista GÜEMES, Gonzalo LOPEZ, Iñaki MATEU, Alvar GIMENO, Alberto CARMONA, Alex ALONSO, Manuel ALFARO, Yago FERNANDEZ, Gauthier MINGUILLON, Martiniano CIAN, John Wessel BELL, Martin ALONSO, Federico CASTEGLIONI, Pau AIRA.
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Go to commentsWith the gap in salary caps between the different nations this is the reality of it all. I don’t blame Saracens but it’s a shame the champions cup is a shadow of what it used to be compared to back in the ‘Heineken Cup’ days.
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