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Announced yesterday afternoon, Daniel Hourcade’s 26-man squad to travel to South Africa this Saturday offers significant insight into how his final squad for the World Cup is going to look. Names to have stood out in the performances to date have almost all been out, thereby implying their inclusion in the World Cup squad.
Gonzalo Camacho, Manuel Carizza, Santiago Cordero, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, Facundo Isa, Nicolás Sánchez can all be ticked off. Their places in the World Cup squad are certain. Both Camacho and Carizza performed better than expected with the former returning after 22 months and the later after 13. They bring with them valuable experience.
The same is true of Fernández Lobbe and Sánchez who hold down starting positions in the team and face no genuine threats from rivals for their places in the starting line-up. Together with Fernández Lobbe, Isa has been in the top two Pumas back-rowers. Cordero, meanwhile, performed better on the wing than did Horacio Agulla against the All Blacks and was then Argentina’s best player from fullback against the Wallabies.
Cordero’s exclusion from the Durban test match comes down to Hourcade having seen all he needs to. It is clear that Cordero and Joaquín Tuculet are the two World Cup fullbacks. The question is who are going to be the three wingers? One of them is Camacho which leaves Juan Imhoff, Lucas González Amorosino and Agulla to fight over two spots.
All have professional careers abroad and valuable experience but Imhoff is alone in being certain for the squad. He has a superior line breaking and try scoring record than the others and questions over his defense have long been answered. The record of González Amorosino and Agulla over time and their respective performances thus far in 2015 places Agulla’s third World Cup dream in danger.
His savior could be versatility – he can play outside center and has done well in the position when selected. Hourcade, though, started Matías Moroni against the Wallabies and Jerónimo De la Fuente at inside centre against the All Blacks. Both players passed the test, both are genuine 13 options and both have been under the close watch of Hourcade since they were Pumitas.
De la Fuente started against New Zealand due to Juan Martín Hernández having a minor injury. Hourcade then opted for Juan Pablo Socino against Australia and the Newcastle Falcon appears to have secured his World Cup spot with he and Santiago González Iglesias to be used as cover for Sánchez and Hernández.
A backline of 10 Hernández, 12 Socino, 13 Bosch will likely play in Durban with there being no fly half among the reserves. Such positional selection has been utilized by Hourcade previously and Socino played in the position against the French Barbarians.
At scrumhalf the debate over Martín Landajo and Tomás Cubelli remains but what is certain is that both will be going to the World Cup and Hourcade will not be taking a third. The policy has been long-lasting by Pumas coaches who have taken an extra forward.
On the plane to England will be confirmed World Cup front-rowers Agustín Creevy, Marcos Ayerza, Lucas Noguera Paz and Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Both Julián Montoya and Santiago González Valdez will be in the squad with Montoya appearing to be preferred as the match day reserve hooker due to the set-piece functioning more effectively.
Ramiro Herrera’s injury doubt sees Juan Pablo Orlandi travelling to South Africa but his place in the World Cup is highly unlikely. Herrera is expected to be back in six weeks, thereby prepared fit to play in the World Cup. Matías Díaz is next inline with Orlandi being the emergency option.
Tomás Lavanini’s name is certain to be on the World Cup list with Carizza and the recovering Mariano Galarza joining him for three of the four second-row vacancies. The remaining spot will go to either Guido Petti or Matías Alemanno, of whom the former is the better placed.
Lastly, the back-row is certain to consist of six players and Hourcade is taking five to South Africa with Juan Manuel Leguizamón being the only player to have started either Rugby Championship match thus far. Like Fernández Lobbe he can play 8 but is better on the side of the scrum. He place in the World Cup is assured.
The remaining spots will therefore go to three of Tomás Lezana, Benjamín Macome, Pablo Matera, Leonardo Senatore and Ortega Desio. Matera has demonstrated his abilities to merit one which strongly suggests that the two remaining vacancies are head-to-head battles. Lezana or Ortega Desio for reserve open-side flanker and Macome or Senatore for 8?
Possible Argentina World Cup Squad
Hooker (3) – Agustín Creevy, Santiago Iglesias Valdez, Julián Montoya,
Loosehead (2) – Marcos Ayerza, Lucas Noguera Paz
Tighthead (3) – Matías Díaz, Ramiro Herrera, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Second-row (4) – Manuel Carizza, Mariano Galarza, Tomás Lavanini, Guido Petti
Back-row (6) – Juan Fernández Lobbe, Facundo Isa, Juan Leguizamón, Benjamín Macome, Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio
Scrumhalf (2) – Tomás Cubelli, Martín Landajo
Flyhalf (3) – Nicolás Sánchez, Santiago González Iglesias, Juan Martín Hernández
Center (3) – Marcelo Bosch, Jerónimo De la Fuente, Juan Pablo Socino
Wing (3) – Gonzalo Camacho, Lucas González Amorosino, Juan Imhoff
Fullback (2) – Santiago Cordero, Joaquín Tuculet
