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Argentina Head Coach Daniel Hourcade has confirmed the lineup for Los Pumas’ first test match of 2016. Argentina will play host to Italy on Saturday at the Estadio Brigadier López in Santa Fé.
El Huevo‘s selection is highly consistent with that used in 2015. The missing trio of Ramiro Herrera, Tomás Lavanini and Leonardo Senatore have had their respective places taken by Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Matías Alemanno and Facundo Isa.
Otherwise Hourcade has continued with a familiar selection that includes Martín Landajo being preferred at scrum half over Tomás Cubelli. Similarly young flankers Pablo Matera and Tomás Lezana are, as expected, set to start ahead of Juan Manuel Leguizamón.
The only players who were not a part of Argentina’s initial Rugby World Cup 2015 roster are Santiago García Botta and Manuel Montero. García Botta arrived for the Bronze Final while Montero missed out due to injury.
García Botta has come through Super Rugby well. His chance arose following the loss of Lucas Noguera Paz to injury. Neither Noguera Paz nor Marcos Ayerza are with Los Pumas at present which sees highly inexperienced front-row replacements on the bench.
Hourcade has entrusted confidence into the young trio of Julián Montoya, Felipe Arregui and Enrique Pieretto. They are to be joined by back-rower Javier Ortega Desio as Los Pumas’ replacements second-rower.
Leguizamón is alone in being a veteran among the replacements though Cubelli joins him in previously having captained Argentina. Jerónimo de la Fuente and Ramiro Moyano complete the 23.
Not considered are players based in Europe. For this reason the likes of Marcos Ayerza, Marcelo Bosch, Manuel Carizza, Juan Figallo, Juan Imhoff and Juan Pablo Socino are missing.
Saturday’s test is to be the 21st test match between Argentina and Italy. Los Pumas have the superior record with 14 wins. Their previous outing saw Argentina winning 20-18 in November 2014 in Genoa.
ARGENTINA
1 Santiago García Botta, 2 Agustín Creevy (capt.), 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Matías Alemanno, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Tomás Lezana, 8 Facundo Isa, 9 Martín Landajo, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Manuel Montero, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Santiago Cordero, 15 Joaquín Tuculet
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Felipe Arregui, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Javier Ortega Desio, 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 23 Ramiro Moyano
