Pumitas Ready to Roar in Must-Win Game Against Samoa

Los Pumitas are ready to roar. The lineup has been named for Sunday’s must-win game against Samoa. With the teams playing for 11th spot, it is the battle to avoid relegation to the Junior World Trophy.

Argentina started the tournament in Tbilisi with a win over Georgia. The South Americans then fell to France by one point before being demolished by South Africa. This saw the team finishing third in their pool A loss against Georgia followed, thereby sending Los Pumitas into the battle to avoid bottom spot.

The strongest available Pumitas side will take to the field. Missing is Marcos Kremer. The Jaguares and Pumas second-rower was injured earlier in the tournament. In his absence Agustín Medrano joins Bautista Stavile and Nicolás Walker in the back-row.

In the backs Tomás Albornoz has been preferred to Juan Daireaux at fly half while Felipe Freyre starts in the mid-field with Teo Castiglioni. Argentina’s leading performers of the tournament, Matías Sauze and Bautista Delguy, start at scrum-half and fullback respectively.

Kick-off for Sunday’s match is scheduled for 4:55am Argentine time. It is to be available in Argentina live on ESPN. For viewers from outside of the country it is to be live streamed on the World Rugby website.

ARGENTINA
1 Santiago Pulella, 2 José Luis González, 3 Alejandro Luna, 4 Nahuel Milan, 5 Lucas Paulos, 6 Bautista Stavile, 7 Agustín Medrano, 8 Nicolás Walker, 9 Matías Sauze, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 11 Luciano González, 12 Teo Castiglioni, 13 Felipe Freyre, 14 Tomás Malanos (Capt.), 15 Bautista Delguy

Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Rodrigo Martínez, 18 Jeremías Tarter, 19 Alfonso Zótottola, 20 Santiago Ruiz, 21 Gonzalo García, 22 Juan Daireaux, 23 Facundo Ferrario