Bouza announces an exciting long list of players for Los Leones ahead of the Nations Cup

The Spanish Men's Rugby XV team have announced its preliminary list to face one of the biggest challenges of the year before the start of World Cup preparations: the November international window, where Los Leones will compete in the Nations Cup against three world-class rivals such as Uruguay, Chile and Samoa.

National Team Coach Pablo Bouza has announced a broad squad of 44 players, comprising both the División de Honor (the top division of Spanish football) and international leagues. The national coaching staff will draw up different lists for each match , so not all players called up will be present for every game.

Among the players called up are some big names in the forwards, such as Thierry Futeu , Luca Tabarot , the Benz-Salomon brothers , Álvaro García , captain Jon Zabala , Guido Reyes , recent Top 14 champion Joel Merkler , Rapha Nieto , and Manex Ariceta , as well as the great news of Mario Pichardie's return from injury . Undoubtedly, one of the biggest surprises on the list is the inclusion and potential debut of Castres Olympique lock Gauthier Maravat, a player who competes in the top tier of French rugby (Top 14).

In the back line, it is worth highlighting the presence of figures such as Kerman Aurrekoetxea , Gonzalo López Bontempo , Lucien Richardis or Oriol Marsinyac .

Full announcement:

FORWARDS

1.Thierry FUTEU
2. Raúl CALZÓN
3. Aristot BENZ-SALOMON
4. Jonathan BENZ-SALOMON
5. Luca TABAROT
6. Santiago OVEJERO
7. Diego GONZÁLEZ
8. Álvaro GARCÍA
9. Jon ZABALA (C)
10. Guido REYES
11. Hugo PIRLET
12. Joel MERKLER
13. Lucas SANTAMARÍA
14. Matt FOULDS
15. Imanol URRAZA
16. Antonio SUÁREZ
17. Ignacio PIÑEIRO
18. Gabriel VÉLEZ
19. Raphael NIETO
20. Matheo TRIKI
21. Manex ARICETA
22. Mario PICHARDIE
23. Vicente BORONAT
24. Valentino RIZZO
25. Gauthier MARAVAT

THREE QUARTERS

26. Estanislao BAY
27. Kerman AURREKOETXEA
28. Bautista GÜEMES
29. Gonzalo LÓPEZ BONTEMPO
30. Nico INFER
31. Lucien RICHARDIS
32. Iñaki MATEU
33. Álvar GIMENO
34. Yago FERNÁNDEZ
35. Oriol MARSINYAC
36. Beltrán ORTEGA
37. Alberto CARMONA
38. Gauthier MINGUILLON
39. Alejandro LAFORGA
40. Martiniano CIAN
41. John Wessel BELL
42. Pablo PÉREZ
43. Pau AIRA

The team will gradually come together to prepare for the series of matches in the capital, combining youth, physical power and top-level international experience in a squad designed to maintain maximum competitiveness against direct rivals in the World Rugby ranking.