 Molina in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Franco Molina (1997-08-28) 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
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
Club
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
- Argentina XV
- Winners of the World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge in 2017
- Winners of the Americas Rugby Championship in 2019
References
- "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.