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José Ignacio Larenas is to captain a new-Look Chile against Argentina. The Universidad mid-fielder will lead the team with Benjamin Soto playing No 8. Chile will host the Argentina XV in Santiago on Saturday.
Head Coach Bernard Charreyre is missing. Instead the team has been prepared this week by Mark Cross and Raúl Marín. Charreyre is in Córdoba, Argentina with the Chilean women’s Rugby 7’s team.
Cross and Marín have named a side featuring eight changes from that faced Canada in round two. Claudio Zamorano returns at prop, Cristóbal Niedmann to the back-row and Rodrigo Fernández is back at fullback. All three started in the round one match against Brazil.
Also recalled are veterans Manuel Gurruchaga and Nelson Calderón. Hooker Gurruchaga missed out on facing Brazil and Chile due to injury. He also missed game two against South Korea in November. His inclusion is a significant boost for Los Cóndores. His return sees Rodrigo Moya left out of the roster.
Second-rower Nelson Calderón is back after a five year absence. The 37-year-old’s last appearance for Los Cóndores was in the 2012 South American Championship. He takes over from Nikola Bursic.
Two players will make their Cóndores starting debuts. Prop Gonzalo Martínez earned his first cap against Brazil and will now start. The same is true of Antofagasta fly half Jorge Castillo. The player from Northern Chile made his debut against South Korea in November. They replace José Tomás Munita and Francisco Cruz respectively.
Saturday’s international will be played in Talcahuano in Concepción. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:00pm.
CHILE
1 Claudio Zamorano, 2 Manuel Gurruchaga, 3 Gonzalo Martínez, 4 Mario Mayol, 5 Nelson Calderón, 6 Cristóbal Niedmann, 7 Anton Petrowitsch, 8 Benjamín Soto, 9 Juan Pablo Larenas, 10 Jorge Castillo, 11 Martín Verschae, 12 Ricardo Sifri, 13 José Ignacio Larenas (capt.), 14 Martín Fernández, 15 Rodrigo Fernández
Replacements: 16 Martín Mendoza, 17 Sebastián Valech, 18 José Tomás Munita, 19 Manuel Dagnino, 20 Eduardo Orpis, 21 Sergio Bascuñan, 22 Francisco González Moller, 23 Mauricio Urrutia
