Strong Pumas ready for Japan

Daniel Hourcade is taking no chances against a depleted Japan side in Tokyo, opting instead to field his strongest available side at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium with World Rugby rankings points on the line. Just four changes are made to the team that lost to Australia at Twickenham in the last game of the Rugby Championship. Chief among them is the return of star pivot Nicolás Sánchez, with Santiago González Iglesias returned to the reserves.

Other switches see Tomás Lezana recalled on the flank to stand in for the rested Pablo Matera and emerging superstar Facundo Isa returns from injury to start at no8 with Leonardo Senatore pushed to the bench. Santiago Cordero is the last switch, starting on the left wing in place of Ramiro Moyano who is also now among the extras.

This will be just the second time Argentina have traveled to Tokyo, the first is also the only time in five previous meetings that Japan were victorious with a final score of 44-29 in September of 1998. It has been more than 11 years since their last match, a 68-36 win for Argentina at Buenos Aires Cricket and Rugby Club in April 2005. That day was also notable for being the test debuts of Agustín Creevy and Juan Manuel Leguizamón, who will both play a part in the match on Saturday.

The match kicks off at 2:40pm local time, 2:40am Buenos Aires time.

ARGENTINA
1 Lucas Noguera Paz 2 Agustín Creevy (capt.) 3 Ramiro Herrera 4 Guido Petti 5 Matías Alemanno 6 Tomás Lezana 7 Javier Ortega Desio 8 Facundo Isa 9 Martín Landajo 10 Nicolás Sánchez 11 Santiago Cordero 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente 13 Matías Orlando 14 Matías Moroni 15 Joaquín Tuculet

16 Julián Montoya 17 Santiago García Botta 18 Enrique Pieretto 19 Leonardo Senatore 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamón 21 Tomás Cubelli 22 Santiago González Iglesias 23 Ramiro Moyano