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Four players to watch as Spain name 42-man Autumn Nations Series squad

220 days ago

Leinster Rugby's Robbie Henshaw (left) and Caelan Doris (right) tackle Stade Toulousain's Joel Merkler (centre) during the Investec Champions Cup Final match between Leinster Rugby and Stade Toulousain at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 25, 2024 in London, England.(Photo by Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images)

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.

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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.

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“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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Comments on RugbyPass

JW 12 minutes ago

Broken hand or not, Richie Mo'unga is still New Zealand's best 10

Should Kiwi players contracted to overseas clubs be available to the All Blacks?

Well I didn’t realise that Ardie was returning to Moana in 2027, I thought he would go back to the Hurricanes (where he is on loan from). That is basically a three year sabbatical, and if say SR was able to move it’s season back, and JRLO, it’s forward (or continue later into June), and have a Club Pacific Cup to play for against each other for over 2 months, how much difference is that to the allowance of 3 All Blacks to be loaned to Moana each season?

Granted, the 3 AB quota is probably only something put in during the beginning of their existence to give them a boost but maybe NZR don’t find too many downsides from it? The new tournament could be regulated heavily, all teams data open to the respective unions to monitor their players in overseas teams etc.

“They’ve earned the opportunity; they’ve been loyal, they get to go away and come back.” In this respect, there is no difference between Jordie and Richie

There is a huge difference here! Richie didn’t want to come back, he is staying in Japan FFS LOL

That freedom of choice is what sticks in Robinson’s craw

I doubt it’s that, I think it’s more the look of not getting your man. Though if Robinson was to think deeper on it, it could have fuel a hatred of allowing “free men”, yes.

It leaves New Zealand rugby in something of a quandary

You mean NZR? No, I think it leaves the player in a quandary..

This is no washed-up has-been seeking to improve his pension plan in some easy far corner of planet rugby, it is a player still near the peak of his powers and marked by his resilience in the face of adversity.

I had been thinking in all likely hood it had been looking more and more likey; Richie would need to switch allegiance if he really was in a quandary about what he could achieve. With a typical normal NH player returning Mo’unga would have arguable had more time in the saddle at International level if he choose Samoa or Tonga, but then I realised that JRLO players return so early in the year that he will still be able to join club rugby, and doesn’t need to wait for NPC.

Richie’s two further titles probably haven’t helped the situation. Arguably one of the reasons he underperformed on the International stage was because of the ease of his domestic success. He struggled for a long time with what it actually meant to be a top player, and I really would be surprised if he has lapsed back into that mindset playing in the JRLO. But if he could return to NZ in May or June next year, well I would back him to then have enough time to get back to where he was when he nearly won a WC with the team on his shoulders.

On the other hand, a team made of up of Mircale Fai’ilagi, Taufa Funaki?, Richie, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Tele’a, Shaun Stevenson would be pretty baller for Samoa as well!

111 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

26-year-old Super Rugby rookie Callum Harkin locks in Hurricanes future

Where did this guy come from!

1 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Shannon Frizell postpones All Blacks homecoming

The 6 role, or pieces the trio is missing, is four faceted. They want someone in the lineout that is either a great jumper or light but tall, or can lift really well. They want someone you can drive people backwards, like Finau and Flanders (on the weekend) can do, and they would preferably want a strong straight carrier with exceptional ball security, and then your ruck security is flexible, but will need someone strong at one or two aspects, tight/loose, defensive/attacking.

Like you I think most of those puzzles they will try to cover with the six, but a mix of Sitit/Ardie/Dalton can cover some too (DP especially has the rucks covered, I wouldn’t start Sititi).

8 Go to comments

Chiefs Mana 1 hour ago

Broken hand or not, Richie Mo'unga is still New Zealand's best 10

So that’s a no - as I’ve said, this is in no way about Dmac. I’d start him over BB for ABs this year as I think he’s got more growth in him (last nights BB masterclass didn’t help that stance of course.

My argument is solely about Richie choosing to go and that fans need to realise he’s not the second coming of Carter and shouldn’t be treated like it…he has 60 tests under his belt and people say he was treated poorly and messed around which is rubbish. He was an OK All Black starting to show signs of becoming a very good one.

111 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Shannon Frizell postpones All Blacks homecoming

Yes, with recent comparisons looking like they’re not likely to getting much time game time in the year they return, I’d wondering if only having the one season to get back in the team would scare them, both NZR and the player, off to easier options, but then I remembered that the Japan season is so short that the players don’t need to wait till the NPC to qualify again, they can play club rugby in May and June, and that would make them eligible straight away in July right?

That would give Mo’unga the one full International season, plus the incoming tour and shortened Rugby Championship in World Cup year. I would think that would just the right time to hit his straps again.

8 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

30 on the trot: Reds the latest victims of Crusaders' playoff fortress

Hey Hey, now JWH is not GPs age yet mate.

11 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

30 on the trot: Reds the latest victims of Crusaders' playoff fortress

Not without being derided for being an old fart GP 😜❤️

11 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Moana Pasifika announce departures of a dozen international players

The good news is the bulk of the team’s starting XV and rising stars will remain in Albany for at least another season, with captain Ardie Savea of course locked in with the club until 2027 – although the All Black does have the option of a sabbatical in 2026.

Ah really? I read that technically Ardie is on loan from the Hurricanes (otherwise NZR would have broken selection policy), so I expected he would return their in 2027. I guess it wouldn’t be unwanted if Moana wanted to get one more year out of him, and if Kobe don’t reach the finals he could still be around the Moana team for a good couple of months next year. It would be really good for Moana to find someone like for like to replace him with in 2026, like Theo McFarland or Ben Tameifuna, it’s pretty late in the season for these guys not to have their new club ready by Sept (when the NH season starts), so lets hope they’re just waiting for their current club to finish before announcing, and are actually in demand players.

Moana have a player trade with Kobe for a Japanese hooker? Have to think they are the look the more likely SR team to have a chance of snagging Frizell and Mo’unga in 2027 too if those guys want to compete at the RWC.

1 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

'Why the hell is he playing for Australia?': How Tyrel Lomax became an All Black

He was quoting what Lomax would say 😁

Lomax: “Wilco and Thomas, hold my beer 🍺”

Wilco and Thomas together: “You’re going to go win that scrum all by yourself”

10 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Crusaders captain backs ‘world-class’ Christian Lio-Willie for All Blacks

IDK about that, Finau was a beast in the Blues game. Different roles, and players though.

12 Go to comments

d 2 hours ago

Brumbies vs Hurricanes: Wallabies lead the way, expect the unexpected

nah, he blew it, there were players not far from him but that’s not where the ball went, and as I said not the first time he’s done that. Still he is brilliant when he’s good, and a surprisingly resolute defender, so I can’t disagree that he could be the Carter replacement #10 we are looking for, so deserves to be in the squad if he can grow up a bit. Thing is BB is playing better than last year too. I’m looking forward to the French matches.

7 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Crusaders captain backs ‘world-class’ Christian Lio-Willie for All Blacks

Yes I wouldn’t be asking Sititi to continue where he left off last year. He can backup however is the 8 Hoskins or Ardie. CLW in that battle with Parker, Blackadder, Jacobsen.

12 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Brumbies vs Hurricanes: Wallabies lead the way, expect the unexpected

I don’t know you can manage to picture that as a bombed try if there was no one there to catch it? Did you expect the defender to just let go of hi like they did to Ratima last week or something? Or do you have your players confused?

As far as potential I don’t think you could have got better this year for a rookie first five. For me it is enough that they would have won that game by playing him in the correct position, along with Harkin (not that I saw any reason for him to be a fullback at the start of the year, other than to allow Love to play 1st5 of course, which wasn’t their reasoning for it).

As far as potential, Love would be my backup All Black 10, and we’d quickly know whether he was AB material.

7 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

Brumbies vs Hurricanes: Wallabies lead the way, expect the unexpected

He was surprising inconsistent and it wasn’t going the Canes way until he evened it up by binning the Brumbie for trip Love when Love was clearly offside.

What lost the Canes that game was their inability to adapt and move focus to a new first five. It was poor selection error and tactical waste getting no steals from the loosies.

7 Go to comments

GM 3 hours ago

'Nothing lasts forever': Vern Cotter ahead of semi-final matchup against Crusaders

Great to see Cotter’s endorsement of Sotutu - hope it’s not too late, and that Razor and Jason haven’t already pushed him off-shore.

1 Go to comments

JWH 3 hours ago

30 on the trot: Reds the latest victims of Crusaders' playoff fortress

Could say the same to you. Got nothing better to say?

11 Go to comments

YeowNotEven 3 hours ago

30 on the trot: Reds the latest victims of Crusaders' playoff fortress

Crusaders are right at home in play off rugby. Blues look dangerous though!