Argentina name preliminary World Cup squad

Argentina have included five European-based players in their provisional 46-man squad for this year's rugby World Cup in Japan, coach Mario Ledesma has announced.

Juan Figallo plays for English club Saracens while the others are all with French teams - Nicolas Sanchez and Ramiro Herrera (Stade Francais), Facundo Isa (Toulon) and Benjamin Urdapilleta (Castres).

"We think they will bring something extra in addition to the players we have here," Ledesma said on Saturday.

Their inclusion marks a move away from the recent policy of selecting almost exclusively home-based players for Argentina's national squad.

Many of the squad play for the Jaguares, Argentina's team in the Super Rugby tournament.

Argentina play New Zealand, South Africa and Australia in the Rugby Championship in July and August as part of their World Cup warm-up.

They have been drawn in Pool C at the World Cup and will face France, England, Tonga and the United States.

The tournament begins on September 20 and the final will take place on November 2 in Yokohama.

SQUAD

Looseheads

Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Jaguares), Mayco Vivas (Jaguares), Juan Pablo Zeiss (Jaguares), Javier Diaz (Jaguares), Santiago Garcia Botta

Hookers

Agustin Creevy (Jaguares), Julian Montoya (Jaguares), Santiago Socino (Jaguares)

Tightheads

Juan Figallo (Saracens), Ramiro Herrera (Stade Francais), Santiago Medrano (Jaguares), Enrique Pieretto (Jaguares), Lucio Sordoni (Jaguares)

Locks

Guido Petti (Jaguares), Tomas Lavanini (Jaguares), Matias Alemanno (Jaguares), Lucas Paulos (Jaguares)

Back row

Pablo Matera (Jaguares), Tomas Lezana (Jaguares), Facundo Isa (Toulon), Javier Ortega Desio (Jaguares), Marcos Kremer (Jaguares), Rodrigo Bruni (Jaguares), Juan Manuel Leguizamon

Scrumhalves

Tomas Cubelli (Jaguares), Gonzalo Bertranou (Jaguares), Martin Landajo (Jaguares), Felipe Ezcurra (Hindu)

Flyhalves

Nicolas Sanchez (Stade Francais), Benjamin Urdapilleta (Castres), Joaquin Diaz Bonilla (Jaguares), Domingo Miotti (Jaguares)

Centres

Santiago Gonzales Iglesias (Jaguares), Jeronimo De la Fuente (Jaguares), Matias Orlando (Jaguares), Matias Moroni (Jaguares), Lucas Mensa (Pucara), Juan Cruz Mallia (Jaguares)

Back three

Bautista Ezcurra (Jaguares), Ramiro Moyano (Jaguares), Bautista Delguy (Jaguares), Sebastian Cancelliere (Jaguares), Emiliano Boffelli (Jaguares), Joaquin Tuculet (Jaguares), Manuel Montero (Pucara), Santiago Carreras (Jaguares)