The Argentinian has landed and turns the Lions into dark horses

Franco Perticaro (left) with Lions coach Vili Ma'asi. Picture: Mick Sutterby

Peterborough Lions star recruit from Argentina touched down in the UK at the weekend and met up with his new team-mates at Solstice Park, Bretton, on Tuesday night.

Franco Perticaro is a 25 year-old livewire scrum-half from Buenos Aires, where he plays for the San Fernando Rugby Club.

He is the high profile signing and one of many newcomers to arrive at the Lions den as the city club plan for their first ever season in the National League.

Franco Perticaro at his first Lions training session. Picture: Mick Sutterby

They kick off in National League Division Two North - the fourth tier of English club rugby - with a home fixture against Wharfedale on Saturday September 1.

And it’ll be a new-look Lions side that embarks on an excitingjourney for Peterborough rugby. It’s the first time that a Peterborough side has played at Level 4 and stacks of new players are turning up at training.

“I hardly recognised anybody,” said Andy Moore. “They’re coming in from all over the place.

“We’re a big attraction all of a sudden. Good players from all over the region with experience of playing at a high level are flocking to the Lions den.

“Our coach Vili Ma’asi and director of rugby Simon Moyle have clearly got a lot of sorting out to do between now and September 1.

“They’ve certainly got plenty to work with - let’s just hope we get the quality to go with the quantity.

“Other clubs are taking notice of what we’re up to and word is going round that we could be huge dark horses in this division.

“Signing a player from Argentina shows we mean business and we could be a team to be feared! It’s fantastic.

“There’s still a month to go and I’m already so excited by what lies ahead.

“I just hope the rugby people of Peterborough get down and support us - we deserve it.

“Last season our average gate for home games was 150 - I want to get that up to 500.”

To help swell the crowd, Moore is keeping the admission price at £5.

“We’ll be offering the cheapest admission price in the division. Most other clubs charge £10,” said Moore.

Off the pitch Moore is planning more ground improvements and hopes to have a new 400-seater stand in place next season which will include six corporate boxes, a new bar and changing rooms.

Other new signings include Charlie Robinson, a front rower from Birmingham Bees who played for England Under 16s and the Bedford Blues Academy; Aki Lea, an abrasive back row forward from Shelford; and Jack Askham, a versatile forward who can play in the front row or at flanker. He joins from Cambridge and is a former Ampthill player.