Franco Molina
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 Molina in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Franco Molina 28 August 1997 Cordoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 120 kg (260 lb; 18 st 13 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Franco Molina (born 28 August 1997) is an Argentinian rugby union player who plays for the Western Force in the Super Rugby and the Argentina national team.
Career
[edit]Molina made his mark on the Argentina U20 side during the 2016 & 2017 U20 World Rugby Championship.[1][2]
His performances with the side led to a call-up to the Argentina XV side that competed in the Americas Rugby Championship between 2016 and 2018.[3][4] In 2018, he was named in the Argentina senior squad for the 2018 Rugby Championship but never made his test debut.[5]
Molina played for his hometown club Ceibos and Jaguares XV before moving to Chile to play for Selknam in the Super Rugby Americas.[6] He played for another Argentina side, Dogos XV, in the same competition, where he made 23 appearances for as captain of the side.[7]
Molina manage to make his test debut for Argentina in a 28–13 loss against France in Mendoza during the 2024 Summer Test series.[8] Since then, he has featured for the Pumas in the 2024 Rugby Championship, including in the historic victory over New Zealand in August.[9]
On 3 October 2024, Molinas moved to England to join Exeter Chiefs in the Gallagher Premiership from the 2024–25 season.[10]
In July 2025, the Perth-based Western Force team of the Super Rugby announced they had signed Molina ahead of the 2026 season on a two-year deal.[11][12] In his first appearance for the team, Molina scored a try, which came in the first round against one of the teams rivals, the ACT Brumbies. The Force lost 24–56 at Perth Rectangular Stadium.[13]
Honours
[edit]Club
[edit]
Jaguares XV
- Winners of the Currie Cup in 2019
- Winners of the Super Rugby Americas in 2021
Selknam
- Finalists of the Super Rugby Americas in 2022
- Dogos XV
- Finalists of the Super Rugby Americas in 2023
- Winners of the Super Rugby Americas in 2024
International
[edit]- Argentina XV
- Winners of the World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge in 2017
- Winners of the Americas Rugby Championship in 2019
References
[edit]- ↑ "England claim U20 Championship 2016 honours". World Rugby. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "Tough Draw for Argentina in 2017 Junior World Championship". Americas Rugby News. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "Argentina XV Roster Named for Brazil". Americas Rugby News. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "Americas Rugby Championship 2018 Schedule & Squads". DJ Coil Rugby. 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "Argentina Rugby Championship Squad 2018". Rugby World. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "SLAR: el XV ideal, con mayoría de jugadores de Jaguares XV". ESPN.com.ar (in Spanish). 1 May 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "Franco Molina to play Super Rugby Americas for Dogos XV". Americas Rugby News. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "Youthful France punish listless Argentina in Mendoza". Rugby Pass. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "The Rugby Championship: Argentina beat defending champions New Zealand 38-30 in Wellington". Sky Sports. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "Franco Molina: Exeter Chiefs sign Argentina second row". BBC Sport. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ Newcombe, Jon (25 July 2025). "Lion taming lock Franco Molina swaps Gallagher PREM for Super Rugby". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ↑ Somerford, Ben (25 July 2025). "Force secure 'powerful' Argentina international lock Molina". westernforce.rugby.
- ↑ "Force downed by ruthless Brumbies in season opener". Western Force. 15 February 2026.