From Argentina´s third largest city, Rosario, Nicolás Vergallo is a no-nonsense scrumhalf. Standing at the short height of 1.7metres and weighing 77KG is not the ideal frame for an international rugby player but it has not stopped Vergallo´s rise to be Argentina´s leading player in his position. Now aged 28, Vergallo has been around Argentine rugby circles for quite some time and has gone on to be a professional player in France, wnning the 2011 French Championship. His style of play is very much to distribute ball to the backline and organize his forward pack and he excels at what he does. He has an accurate long pass and is also good at delivering box kicks - the essential skills of the position. While he is not known for a running game he has been seen darting into gaps and is not affraid of bigger players. This has enabled him to develop into a reliable player and one who will feature for Los Pumas in The Rugby Championship.
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| Vergallo for Dax |
His international career has had its ups and down but in more recent times it has been of the positive form with Vergallo having a solid 2011 and performing to a high standard at Rugby World Cup 2011, where he started in all of Argentina´s matches. In total Vergallo has played 24 tests and has started in 21 as he has been Los Pumas´ prefered scrumhalf since the retired of Agustín Pichot after France 2007. Vergallo had been in the training squad for that tournament but was third choice behind Pichot and Nicolás Fernández Miranda. He nonetheless played both June tests in 2007 vs Ireland as Los Pumas collected two wins. He had made his debut two years earlier as a 22 year old in 2005 but it was 2008 that saw him get his real chance as he started all seven of Argentina´s tests and saw his life change as he signed a professional contract to play in the Top 14 for Dax. After two years with the club he upgraded to join Toulouse and is at the club on a long term contract.
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| Tackle on Marc Andreu (France) |
Since joining Toulouse Vergallo´ international career has improved as he has returned to being Los Pumas´ leading scrumhalf after playing only one test in 2009. Vergallo went from first choice to third behind Figuerola and Alfredo Lalanne in 2009. He was given a chance in 2010 vs France, however, and put in the best performance of his international career thus far as he organized his forwards superbly and gave his flyhalf, Felipe Contepomi, quality and quick ball. This saw him go on to start in all three of Argentina´s European tests in November 2010 and he took the chance to underline himself as the man to play scrumhalf for Argentina at New Zealand 2011. Vergallo had a solid World Cup, starting in all four pool matches as well as the Quarter Final vs the All Blacks.
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| Vergallo for Toulouse vs Perpignan |
Since New Zealand 2011, however, things have not been as positive for Vergallo. Toulouse have simply not known what to do with him due to the clubs new arrival, Australian Luke Burgess. The Wallaby has taken over as the clubs first choice number 9 with Jean-Marc Doussain also being preferred to the Puma. Since returnign to the club Vergallo has played in nine Top 14 matches with seven of the appearances being from the bench. He was avaliable for ten other rounds but was left out of the match day 23 entirely. Vergallo started 11 Top 14 matches for Toulouse last season and before that was Dax´s first choice scrumhalf for two seasons. It is not ideal for Pumas supporters and is worrying for Vergallo in particular as Agustín Figuerola of Brive received much more game time this season. Vergallo is also under pressure from both the Los Pampas XV scrumhalves, Tomás Cubelli and Martín Landajo who are both on full time UAR contracts and have been playing good rugby this year.
Vergallo, nonetheless remains Argentina´ first choice scrumhalf and his lack of game time this season at Toulouse could well work out in his favor as he will therefore have a greater chance of starting as Toulouse may well release him in time to play in all three of the June tests. While he has not been playing as often as anticipated he remains an important player for his country and should not be taken lightly.
Vergallo, nonetheless remains Argentina´ first choice scrumhalf and his lack of game time this season at Toulouse could well work out in his favor as he will therefore have a greater chance of starting as Toulouse may well release him in time to play in all three of the June tests. While he has not been playing as often as anticipated he remains an important player for his country and should not be taken lightly.
Week One: Juan Manuel Leguizamón
Week Two: Lucas González Amorosino
Week Three: Marcelo Bosch
Week Four: Agustín Creevy
Week Eight: Rodrigo RonceroWeek Nine: Gonzalo Camacho
Week Ten: Patricio Albacete
Week Eleven: Horacio Agulla
Week Twelve: Juan Figallo
Week Thirteen: Santiago Fernández
Week Fourteen: Tomás Cubelli
Week Fifteen: Marcos Ayerza
Week Sixteen: Manuel Carizza
Week Seventeen: Nicolás Vergallo
Week Eighteen: Juan Imhoff
Week Eighteen: Juan Imhoff
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