# 2016 France rugby union tour of Argentina

In June 2016, France played a two-test series against Argentina as part of the 2016 mid-year rugby union tests. They played Los Pumas across the two weeks that were allocated to the June International window (19 June and 25 June), and which were part of the fourth year of the global rugby calendar established by the International Rugby Board, which runs through to 2019. This was the first French tour to Argentina since their drawn series in 2012.
The French domestic Top 14 tournament ended later than usual, as no games were scheduled during the pool phase of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Therefore, the semi-finals and final of the 2015–16 season coincided with the June international window, clashing with the French games on the 19 and 25 June.

## Fixtures

| Date | Venue | Home | Score | Away |
| 19 June 2016 | Estadio Monumental José Fierro, Tucumán | Argentina | 30–19 | France |
| 25 June 2016 | Estadio Monumental José Fierro, Tucumán | Argentina | 0–27 | France |

## Squads

Note: Ages, caps and clubs are as per 19 June, the first test match of the tour.

### France

On 6 June, Guy Novès named the first set of players for France's two-test series against Argentina. The squad did not include any of the six Top 14 play-offs teams, Castres, Clermont, Toulon, Toulouse, Racing or Montpellier (except François Trinh-Duc who was released by Montpellier for the tour) due to the play-offs taking place between 11 and 24 June.
On 13 June, Novès named a further 11 players on top of the initial 17, after Toulouse and Castres and were eliminated from the Top 14 quarter-finals.
On 19 June, Paul Jedrasiak was called up to the squad following Clermont Auvergne's elimination from the Top 14.
Coaching team:
* Head coach: Guy Novès
* Forwards coach: Yannick Bru
* Backs coach: Jean-Frederic Dubois
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
| Rémi Bonfils | Hooker | (1988-09-16)16 September 1988 (aged 27) | 0 | Stade Français |
| Clément Maynadier | Hooker | (1988-10-11)11 October 1988 (aged 27) | 0 | Bordeaux Bègles |
| Uini Atonio | Prop | (1990-03-26)26 March 1990 (aged 26) | 15 | La Rochelle |
| Lucas Pointud | Prop | (1988-01-18)18 January 1988 (aged 28) | 0 | Brive |
| Jefferson Poirot | Prop | (1992-11-01)1 November 1992 (aged 23) | 5 | Bordeaux Bègles |
| Rabah Slimani | Prop | (1989-10-18)18 October 1989 (aged 26) | 26 | Stade Français |
| William Demotte | Lock | (1991-05-22)22 May 1991 (aged 25) | 0 | Agen |
| Paul Jedrasiak | Lock | (1993-02-06)6 February 1993 (aged 23) | 4 | Clermont Auvergne |
| Julien Le Devedec | Lock | (1986-06-04)4 June 1986 (aged 30) | 0 | Bordeaux Bègles |
| Yoann Maestri | Lock | (1988-01-14)14 January 1988 (aged 28) | 47 | Toulouse |
| Fabrice Metz | Lock | (1991-01-23)23 January 1991 (aged 25) | 0 | Oyonnax |
| Kélian Galletier | Flanker | (1992-03-18)18 March 1992 (aged 24) | 0 | Montpellier |
| Loann Goujon | Flanker | (1989-04-23)23 April 1989 (aged 27) | 10 | Bordeaux Bègles |
| Kevin Gourdon | Flanker | (1990-01-23)23 January 1990 (aged 26) | 0 | La Rochelle |
| Raphaël Lakafia | Number 8 | (1988-10-28)28 October 1988 (aged 27) | 3 | Stade Français |
| Louis Picamoles | Number 8 | (1986-02-05)5 February 1986 (aged 30) | 52 | Toulouse |
| Sébastien Bezy | Scrum-half | (1991-11-22)22 November 1991 (aged 24) | 5 | Toulouse |
| Baptiste Serin | Scrum-half | (1994-06-20)20 June 1994 (aged 21) | 0 | Bordeaux Bègles |
| Jules Plisson | Fly-half | (1991-08-20)20 August 1991 (aged 24) | 11 | Stade Français |
| François Trinh-Duc | Fly-half | (1986-11-11)11 November 1986 (aged 29) | 53 | Montpellier |
| Jonathan Danty | Centre | (1992-10-07)7 October 1992 (aged 23) | 3 | Stade Français |
| Gaël Fickou | Centre | (1994-03-26)26 March 1994 (aged 22) | 19 | Toulouse |
| Rémi Lamerat | Centre | (1990-01-14)14 January 1990 (aged 26) | 7 | Castres |
| Julien Rey | Centre | (1986-09-01)1 September 1986 (aged 29) | 0 | Bordeaux Bègles |
| Djibril Camara | Wing | (1989-06-22)22 June 1989 (aged 26) | 1 | Stade Français |
| Maxime Médard | Wing | (1986-11-16)16 November 1986 (aged 29) | 46 | Toulouse |
| Xavier Mignot | Wing | (1994-01-27)27 January 1994 (aged 22) | 0 | Grenoble |
| Hugo Bonneval | Fullback | (1990-11-19)19 November 1990 (aged 25) | 6 | Stade Français |
| Geoffrey Palis | Fullback | (1991-07-08)8 July 1991 (aged 24) | 0 | Castres |

### Argentina

On 31 May, Argentina named a 28-man squad for the June internationals against Italy and France.
On 12 June, Ignacio Larrague was called up to the squad as an injury replacement for Matías Alemanno.
On 16 June, Ramiro Herrera and Tomás Lavanini were called up to the squad ahead of the two-test series against France.
Coaching team:
* Head coach: Daniel Hourcade
* Defence coach: Pablo Bouza
* Backs coach: Germán Fernández
* Forwards coach: Emiliano Bergamaschi
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
| Facundo Bosch | Hooker | (1991-08-08)8 August 1991 (aged 24) | 2 | CUBA |
| Agustín Creevy (c) | Hooker | (1985-03-15)15 March 1985 (aged 31) | 47 | Jaguares |
| Julián Montoya | Hooker | (1993-10-29)29 October 1993 (aged 22) | 17 | Jaguares |
| Santiago García Botta | Prop | (1992-06-19)19 June 1992 (aged 24) | 7 | Jaguares |
| Facundo Gigena | Prop | (1994-09-15)15 September 1994 (aged 21) | 1 | Tala |
| Ramiro Herrera | Prop | (1989-02-14)14 February 1989 (aged 27) | 20 | Jaguares |
| Enrique Pieretto | Prop | (1994-12-15)15 December 1994 (aged 21) | 2 | Córdoba |
| Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro | Prop | (1989-11-06)6 November 1989 (aged 26) | 23 | Jaguares |
| Matías Alemanno | Lock | (1991-12-05)5 December 1991 (aged 24) | 21 | Jaguares |
| Ignacio Larrague | Lock | (1995-10-25)25 October 1995 (aged 20) | 2 | C.A.S.I |
| Tomás Lavanini | Lock | (1993-01-22)22 January 1993 (aged 23) | 27 | Jaguares |
| Guido Petti | Lock | (1994-11-17)17 November 1994 (aged 21) | 13 | Jaguares |
| Juan Manuel Leguizamón | Flanker | (1983-06-06)6 June 1983 (aged 33) | 66 | Jaguares |
| Tomás Lezana | Flanker | (1994-02-16)16 February 1994 (aged 22) | 6 | Jaguares |
| Pablo Matera | Flanker | (1993-07-18)18 July 1993 (aged 22) | 23 | Jaguares |
| Javier Ortega Desio | Flanker | (1990-06-14)14 June 1990 (aged 26) | 20 | Jaguares |
| Facundo Isa | Number 8 | (1993-09-21)21 September 1993 (aged 22) | 14 | Jaguares |
| Gonzalo Bertranou | Scrum-half | (1993-12-31)31 December 1993 (aged 22) | 1 | Los Tordos |
| Tomás Cubelli | Scrum-half | (1989-06-12)12 June 1989 (aged 27) | 46 | Brumbies |
| Martín Landajo | Scrum-half | (1988-06-14)14 June 1988 (aged 28) | 54 | Jaguares |
| Santiago González Iglesias | Fly-half | (1988-06-16)16 June 1988 (aged 28) | 21 | Jaguares |
| Nicolás Sánchez | Fly-half | (1988-10-26)26 October 1988 (aged 27) | 40 | Jaguares |
| Jerónimo de la Fuente | Centre | (1991-02-24)24 February 1991 (aged 25) | 20 | Jaguares |
| Juan Martín Hernández | Centre | (1982-08-07)7 August 1982 (aged 33) | 59 | Jaguares |
| Matías Moroni | Centre | (1991-03-29)29 March 1991 (aged 25) | 9 | Jaguares |
| Matías Orlando | Centre | (1991-11-14)14 November 1991 (aged 24) | 10 | Jaguares |
| Santiago Cordero | Wing | (1993-12-06)6 December 1993 (aged 22) | 19 | Jaguares |
| Lucas González Amorosino | Wing | (1985-11-02)2 November 1985 (aged 30) | 49 | Jaguares |
| Manuel Montero | Wing | (1991-11-20)20 November 1991 (aged 24) | 22 | Jaguares |
| Ramiro Moyano | Fullback | (1990-05-28)28 May 1990 (aged 26) | 7 | Jaguares |
| Joaquín Tuculet | Fullback | (1989-08-08)8 August 1989 (aged 26) | 29 | Jaguares |

## Matches
### First Test

* 19 June 2016 18:10 ART (UTC-03)
| Argentina | 30–19 | France |
| Try: Montero 19' c Tuculet 28' c Petti 73' c Con: Sánchez (3/3) 20', 29', 74' Pen: Sánchez (3/5) 16', 61', 65' | Report | Try: Bonfils 31' c Con: Plisson (1/1) 32' Pen: Plisson (4/6) 10', 43', 48', 53' |
* Atlético Tucumán, S.M. Tucumán Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Team details :
* Touch judges:
* Stuart Berry (South Africa)
* Luke Pearce (England)
* Television match official:
* Johan Greeff (South Africa)

### Second Test

* 25 June 2016 15:10 ART (UTC-03)
| Argentina | 0–27 | France |
| | Report | Try: Bonneval 38' c Lamerat 50' c Goujon 62' c Con: Serin (3/3) 39', 51', 62' Pen: Serin (2/2) 25', 44' |
* Atlético Tucumán, S.M. Tucumán Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Team details :
* Touch judges:
* John Lacey (Ireland)
* Luke Pearce (England)
* Television match official:
* Johan Greeff (South Africa)

## Argentina warm-up match

On 11 June, Argentina played host to Italy in the lead up to the French series.
* 11 June 2016 15:45 ART (UTC-03)
| Argentina | 30–24 | Italy |
| Try: Montero 25' m Moroni 60' c Con: Sánchez (1/2) 61' Pen: Sánchez (6/7) 9', 20', 31', 36', 58', 65' | Report | Try: Sarto 34' c Favaro 68' m Con: Canna (1/1) 35' Pen: Canna (4/5) 15', 28', 39', 42' |
* Estadio B.G Estanislao López, Santa Fe Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Team details :
* Touch judges:
* Luke Pearce (England)
* Joaquín Montes (Uruguay)
* Television match official:
* Johan Greeff (South Africa)

## Statistics

Key
* Con: Conversions
* Pen: Penalties
* DG: Drop goals
* Pts: Points