DRAGONS scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou has been selected to play for the Argentina XV in a pair of European international fixtures this summer rather than taking on Scotland with the Pumas.
The 28-year-old has been named in the squad for uncapped games against Georgia in Kutaisi on July 3 and Portugal in Lisbon seven days later.
Head coach Ignacio Fernández Lobbe has named a strong squad featuring players from France, England, Wales, Scotland, Italy and South America for the fixtures.
Bertranou is among a number of established international campaigners that will play in the European double-header rather than facing the Scots in a three-Test series on home soil.
New Pumas coach Michael Cheika has included Italy-based novices Lautaro Bazan Velez and Gonzalo García along with senior scrum-half Tomás Cubelli for those fixtures.
Gonzalo Bertranou of Dragons..
Given that the clock is ticking towards next year's World Cup, 36-times capped Bertranou will hope to return to the Argentina fold for the Rugby Championship clashes with South Africa, Australia and New Zealand in August and September.
That would rule him out of the opening rounds of the Dragons' United Rugby Championship campaign with Rhodri Williams and Lewis Jones his rivals for the 9 jersey.
Four of the Rodney Parade region's players have been selected for Wales' tour to South Africa – locks Will Rowlands and Ben Carter, tighthead Leon Brown and flanker Taine Basham.
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