After being crowned four-time champions of the Vancouver Sevens by defeating South Africa 19-12 in the final, Los Pumas 7's already know their opponents for the next event of the World Sevens Circuit, which will take place in Hong Kong from March 28 to 30.
In this new stage, the team led by Santiago Gómez Cora will face a demanding group, sharing Pool A with Fiji, the United States, and Ireland, in a tournament that will be played at the Kai Tak Stadium. Meanwhile, Pool B will consist of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Uruguay, and Pool C will feature Spain, Great Britain, France, and Kenya.
The big news for Los Pumas 7's is the return of Lautaro Bazán Vélez, an Olympic medalist in Tokyo 2020, who left XV rugby to return to the national team. The 29-year-old from Córdoba rescinded his contract with Benetton Treviso in Italy and returned to Argentina to join Gómez Cora's squad. With an extensive career in sevens, Bazán Vélez played 177 matches in 35 World Circuit tournaments, scoring 59 tries and achieving significant titles such as gold at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima and the Vancouver Sevens in 2022.
The return of the scrum-half is a key reinforcement for the team, which will seek to defend the title obtained in the 2024 season. With the championship in Vancouver, Los Pumas 7's added their second title of the year, having also been crowned in Perth, placing them at the top of the world ranking with 68 points in the overall classification, surpassing Spain (64), Fiji and South Africa (62), and France (46).
With Bazán Vélez joining as a luxury addition and the ambition to stay at the top, Los Pumas 7's will face a new challenge with their sights set on the Grand Final in Los Angeles and the race for the World Circuit title.
