# Franco Molina

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English rugby union player

You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (December 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must follow the LLM translation guideline, revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing French Wikipedia article at [[:fr:Franco Molina]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|fr|Franco Molina}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

Rugby player

Franco Molina Molina in 2024 Born Franco Molina (1997-08-28) 28 August 1997 (age 28) Cordoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Weight 120 kg (260 lb; 18 st 13 lb) Rugby union career Position Lock Current team Force Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Jockey Club Córdoba Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2019–2021 Jaguares XV 15 (10) 2020 Ceibos 2 (0) 2022 Selknam 9 (15) 2023–2024 Dogos XV 23 (0) 2024–2025 Exeter Chiefs 17 (0) 2026– Force 13 (20) Correct as of 30 May 2026 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016–2017 Argentina U20 8 (0) 2018–2021 Argentina XV 19 (10) 2024– Argentina 19 (5) Correct as of 27 November 2024

**Franco Molina** (born 28 August 1997) is an Argentinian [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union) player who plays for the [Western Force](/source/Western_Force) in the [Super Rugby](/source/Super_Rugby) and the [Argentina national team](/source/Argentina_national_rugby_union_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](/source/Argentina_XV_national_rugby_union_team) side that competed in the [Americas Rugby Championship](/source/Americas_Rugby_Championship) between 2016 and 2018.[3][4] In 2018, he was named in the Argentina senior squad for the [2018 Rugby Championship](/source/2018_Rugby_Championship) but never made his test debut.[5]

Molina played for his hometown club [Ceibos](/source/Dogos_XV) and [Jaguares XV](/source/Jaguares_(Super_Rugby)#Jaguares_XV) before moving to Chile to play for [Selknam](/source/Selknam_(rugby_union)) in the [Super Rugby Americas](/source/Super_Rugby_Americas).[6] He played for another Argentina side, [Dogos XV](/source/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](/source/France_national_rugby_union_team) in [Mendoza](/source/Mendoza%2C_Argentina) during the [2024 Summer Test series](/source/2024_mid-year_rugby_union_tests).[8] Since then, he has featured for the Pumas in the [2024 Rugby Championship](/source/2024_Rugby_Championship), including in the historic victory over [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand_national_rugby_union_team) in August.[9]

On 3 October 2024, Molinas moved to England to join [Exeter Chiefs](/source/Exeter_Chiefs) in the [Gallagher Premiership](/source/Premiership_Rugby) from the 2024–25 season.[10]

In July 2025, the [Perth](/source/Perth)-based [Western Force](/source/Western_Force) team of the [Super Rugby](/source/Super_Rugby) announced [they had signed](/source/List_of_2025%E2%80%9326_Super_Rugby_transfers#Force) Molina ahead of the [2026 season](/source/2026_Super_Rugby_Pacific_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](/source/List_of_2026_Super_Rugby_Pacific_matches#Round_1) against one of the teams rivals, the [ACT Brumbies](/source/ACT_Brumbies). The Force lost [24–56](/source/List_of_2026_Super_Rugby_Pacific_matches#Force_v_Brumbies) at [Perth Rectangular Stadium](/source/Perth_Rectangular_Stadium).[13]

## Honours

### Club

- [Jaguares XV](/source/Jaguares_(Super_Rugby)#Jaguares_XV) - Winners of the [Currie Cup](/source/Currie_Cup) in [2019](/source/2019_Currie_Cup_First_Division) - Winners of the [Super Rugby Americas](/source/Super_Rugby_Americas) in [2021](/source/2021_S%C3%BAper_Liga_Americana_de_Rugby_season)

- [Selknam](/source/Selknam_(rugby_union)) - Finalists of the [Super Rugby Americas](/source/Super_Rugby_Americas) in [2022](/source/2022_S%C3%BAper_Liga_Americana_de_Rugby_season)

- [Dogos XV](/source/Dogos_XV) - Finalists of the [Super Rugby Americas](/source/Super_Rugby_Americas) in [2023](/source/2023_Super_Rugby_Americas_season) - Winners of the [Super Rugby Americas](/source/Super_Rugby_Americas) in [2024](/source/2024_Super_Rugby_Americas_season)

### International

- [Argentina XV](/source/Argentina_XV_national_rugby_union_team) - Winners of the [World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge](/source/World_Rugby_Americas_Pacific_Challenge) in 2017 - Winners of the [Americas Rugby Championship](/source/Americas_Rugby_Championship) in [2019](/source/2019_Americas_Rugby_Championship)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["England claim U20 Championship 2016 honours"](https://www.world.rugby/news/171960/england-claim-u20-championship-2016-honours). World Rugby. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Tough Draw for Argentina in 2017 Junior World Championship"](https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2016/09/21/tough-draw-argentina-2017-junior-world-championship/). Americas Rugby News. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Argentina XV Roster Named for Brazil"](https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2016/03/01/argentina-xv-roster-named-for-brazil/). Americas Rugby News. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Americas Rugby Championship 2018 Schedule & Squads"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190420173028/https://djcoilrugby.com/2018/01/26/arc2018/). DJ Coil Rugby. 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Argentina Rugby Championship Squad 2018"](https://www.rugbyworld.com/tournaments/the-rugby-championship/argentina-rugby-championship-squad-93292). Rugby World. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["SLAR: el XV ideal, con mayoría de jugadores de Jaguares XV"](https://www.espn.com.ar/rugby/nota/_/id/10304624/slar-el-xv-ideal-con-mayoria-de-jugadores-de-jaguares-xv-fecha-2-segunda-ronda). *ESPN.com.ar* (in Spanish). 1 May 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Franco Molina to play Super Rugby Americas for Dogos XV"](https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2022/12/20/franco-molina-to-play-super-rugby-americas-for-dogos-xv/). Americas Rugby News. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Youthful France punish listless Argentina in Mendoza"](https://www.rugbypass.com/news/youthful-france-punish-listless-argentina-in-mendoza/). Rugby Pass. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["The Rugby Championship: Argentina beat defending champions New Zealand 38-30 in Wellington"](https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/new-zealand-vs-argentina/108224). Sky Sports. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Franco Molina: Exeter Chiefs sign Argentina second row"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cly6k1p102po). [BBC Sport](/source/BBC_Sport). 3 October 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Newcombe, Jon (25 July 2025). ["Lion taming lock Franco Molina swaps Gallagher PREM for Super Rugby"](https://www.rugbypass.com/news/lion-taming-lock-franco-molina-swaps-gallagher-prem-for-super-rugby/). *Rugby Pass*. Retrieved 25 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Somerford, Ben (25 July 2025). ["Force secure 'powerful' Argentina international lock Molina"](https://westernforce.rugby/news/force-secure-argentina-international-lock-molina-2025725). *westernforce.rugby*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Force downed by ruthless Brumbies in season opener"](https://westernforce.rugby/news/western-force-cron-match-report-2026214). *[Western Force](/source/Western_Force)*. 15 February 2026.

## External links

- [Exeter Chiefs Profile](https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/players/franco-molina)

- [Its Rugby Profile](https://www.itsrugby.co.uk/joueurs/franco-molina-36952.html)

- [Ultimate Rugby Profile](https://www.ultimaterugby.com/franco-molina)

v t e Western Force – current squad Forwards Albert Alcock Nick Champion de Crespigny Jack Daly Nic Dolly Vaiolini Ekuasi Misinale Epenisa Sef Fa'agase Lopeti Faifua Feao Fotuaika Will Harris Harry Johnson-Holmes Kane Koteka Franco Molina Titi Nofoagatotoa Leonel Oviedo Brandon Paenga-Amosa Marley Pearce Tom Robertson Joshua Smith Darcy Swain Carlo Tizzano Jeremy Williams Backs Taj Annan Kurtley Beale George Bridge Max Burey Ben Donaldson Boston Fakafanua Mac Grealy Nathan Hastie Alex Harford Bayley Kuenzle Darby Lancaster Ronan Leahy Zac Lomax Agustín Moyano Henry Palmer Divad Palu Doug Philipson Dylan Pietsch Henry Robertson Hamish Stewart Coach Simon Cron

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Franco Molina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Molina) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Molina?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.