A 143kg answer to a front-row problem
Newcastle Red Bulls confirmed the signing of Argentina tighthead Francisco Moreno today, and the numbers explain most of the appeal. The 24-year-old stands 6ft 1in and weighs 143kg, which puts him among the heaviest props who will pack down in the PREM this season. Dan McFarland has been short of ballast on that side of the scrum, and this is his answer.
“Francisco is a relatively young tighthead who has already taken his first steps in international rugby, and shows a lot of promise,” McFarland said. “He’s a big man who will add to our front-row depth, and we look forward to integrating him into our group when he arrives here.”
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From Super Rugby Americas to the PREM in one season
Moreno spent this year with Tarucas in Super Rugby Americas, a competition that sits several rungs below the English top flight in budget and profile. His rise since then has been quick. He won his first Test cap earlier this month in Buenos Aires against the Springboks, a debut that put his name in front of a lot of recruiters at once, and he has now decided his club future is better served in England than at home.
Argentina duty comes first
Tyneside will have to wait. Moreno is in Argentina preparing for a two-match series against the Wallabies, which opens on Saturday in San Salvador de Jujuy and closes in Mendoza on September 5. Two Tests against Australian scrummaging will tell Newcastle plenty about what they have bought before he ever sets foot in the north east.
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