Rugby-Hernandez signs up for Argentine Super Rugby franchise

Sept 3 (Reuters) - Juan Martin Hernandez, a leading member of Argentina's World Cup team, has become the highest profile player to join the Argentine franchise that will make its Super Rugby debut next year. Hernandez, nicknamed El Mago (the magician) at the height of his powers as a fullback with Stade Francais and flyhalf with the Pumas, signed a two-year contract with the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) on Thursday. He has joined back-row Juan Manuel Leguizamon, a fellow veteran of Argentina's third place at the 2007 World Cup, in boosting the numbers of the franchise this week. "This (Super Rugby) tournament, which is new to us, will help the team mature and gain in confidence," the 33-year-old Hernandez, a centre or flyhalf in Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade's World Cup side, said. "We're going to face rugby of high intensity, end to end, much more than the Rugby Championship, and it will be good to see how far Argentine players can reach," he told the UAR website (www.uar.com.ar). Hernandez, who has more than 50 caps, will be at his third World Cup in England after 2003 and 2007, having missed the 2011 tournament through injury. He began his career at Deportiva Francesa in the amateur Buenos Aires championship, then spent 12 years in Europe, winning the French championship with Stade Francais in 2004. He played for Natal Sharks in South Africa's Currie Cup in 2009 but missed out on their 2010 Super Rugby campaign due to back surgery and returned to France to play for Racing Metro until 2014 and Toulon this year. Argentina, who meet holders New Zealand, Georgia, Tonga and Namibia in Pool C at the World Cup starting in two weeks' time, will play a last warm-up against Leicester Tigers on Saturday. (Reporting by Rex Gowar; Editing by Ken Ferris)