Top 14 club Pau have just wrapped-up a solid season. The club was eliminated by Racing 92 in the barrage. With their season over, the club is now turning its attention to the 2026-2027 season. Recruitment is underway with six players including two Pumas joining Pau.
The two Pumas are Santiago Grondona and Gonzalo García. Both men are firmly established as regulars in Felipe Contepomi’s rosters and are expected to remain as such as the planning continues to advance towards Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
Santiago Grondona pays both flanker and N8 for his country. His versatility has also seen him filling in at second-row previously for Pau whom he played for in 2023. His time at Pau came as a move from Exeter Chiefs before signing to play for Bristol Bears.
Pau have signed the 27-year-old from Club Champagnat in Buenos Aires on a two-year-deal. The contract sees his professional playing future confirmed with him playing in the Top 14 either side of Rugby World Cup 2027. Grondona has 25 caps for Argentina. His first was Argentina history-making win over New Zealand in 2020.
Fellow 27-year-old Argentine, Gonzalo García has been recruited by Pau from Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship (URC). García is Argentina’s leading scrum-half with him having overtaken those used at Rugby World Cup 2023 to be Felipe Contepomi’s first-choice 9.
In May, La République des Pyrénées reported that García would be joining Pau as a replacement for Englishman, Dan Robson. Furthermore, the recruitment of the Puma comes after a rumor that the club was looking to sign former All Black, Aaron Smith.
The aforementioned publication now confirms that Pau have signed the 17 capped García. García’s deal with Pau is for one season with the option of an extension. It means Pau will have four Pumas next season: García, Grondona, Facundo Isa and Julián Montoya.
García played four seasons for Zebre Parma. The URC side was his second Italian club; he joined Zebre Parma after playing the 2021-2022 season for Valorugby Emilia. He impressed to the extent that he was one of three players shortlisted for the Top 10 MVP award.
The Pumas scrum-half is a product of Natación y Gimnasia in Tucumán. His home club is a feeder club of the professional team Los Tarucas which debuted in Super Rugby Americas (SRA) 2025. He is no stranger to SRA. He played for Colombian team Los Cafeteros Pro in SRA 2021 and for Los Ceibos in the brief season in 2020.
García is a former Argentina u20’s captain and became a Puma in 2021 and he presently has 16 caps for Los Pumas. In 2025 he was a try scorer in Argentina’s win over New Zealand in Buenos Aires. He was also a stand-out performer in Argentina’s win over the British & Irish Lions in Dublin.
