Match Preview – Argentina XV vs Toulon

French club giants, Toulon are in Argentina. The three-time European Champions Cup winners are preparing for the upcoming season by playing a two-match series against the Argentina XV. The first of these matches takes place on Saturday at CASI in Buenos Aires.

The Argentina XV are using the match as much required game time. The need for further opportunities for fringe Pumas players has seen this team and not Los Pumas utilized for the series. As such Head Coach Felipe Contepomi has a hybrid roster of players from the Nations Cup in June and named to have played Super Rugby for Los Jaguares this year.

Starting for the Argentina XV will be Felipe Arregui, Gonzalo Bertranou and Manuel Montero. Of them Bertranou was a regular in the 2017 season for Los Jaguares. Arregui played as a Tight Head but will play at Loose Head prop against Toulon. Montero was underused based on a long-term rehabilitation program.

Contepomi will also have Jaguares to call-upon from the bench. Among the reserves are Felipe Ezcurra and Marcos Kremer. The remainder of the team are names to have featured in earlier Argentina XV selections this year. Joining Kremer from the 2016 Junior World Championship Bronze Medalists are Mariano Romanini, Tomás Granella and Bautista Delguy.

Not considered for the match are forwards Cristian Bartoloni, Juan Cruz Guillemaín and Tomás Lavanini and backs Juan Cappiello and Bruno Devoto. Benito Paolucci enters the bench as a last minute replacement. With two second-rowers missing Santiago Portillo gets an opportunity out of position. Agustín Gómez Di Nardo is another surprise selection, starting ahead of the much younger Gaspar Baldunciel.

Toulon are to be captained by Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe. The same player replaced Felipe Contepomi as Los Pumas captain in 2012 and was an injury-motivated replacement as skipper for Contepomi in prior years.

Fernández Lobbe is joined by former French internationals Mathieu Bastareaud and Vincent Clerc in the starting lineup. South African Rugby World Cup winner, JP Pietersen will play in the unfamiliar role of inside center. Georgia’s greatest player of all time, Mamuka Gorgodze will play second-row. His compatriot, Badri Alkhazashvili, starts at Loose Head prop.

Toulon’s bench is also packed with power. Among the players is Puma Facundo Isa. The Argentine No 8 is not eligible for Los Pumas until he returns from France. His contract with Toulon goes until June 2019. Under existing rules he will miss Rugby World Cup 2019.

Former French internationals Hugo Bonneval, Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Jocelino Suta are to join Isa on the bench. Springbok Marcel Van der Merwe and All Black Luke McAlister are also to feature as replacements.

The match is expected to be highly entertaining but one in which the home nation enters as favorites. With the possibility of Rugby Championship selection the players must stand up. For some it is a rare opportunity that cannot go begging.

ARGENTINA XV
15 Bautista Delguy, 14 Rodrigo Etchart, 13 Santiago Álvarez Fourcade, 12 Tomás Granella, 11 Manuel Montero, 10 Juan Cruz González, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 7 Francisco Gorrisen (Capt.), 6 Mariano Romanini, 5 Diego Galetto, 4 Santiago Portillo, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Agustín Gómez Di Nardo, 1 Felipe Arregui

Replacements: 16 Gaspar Bandunciel, 17 Francisco Ferronato, 18 Benjamín Espinal, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Benito Paolucci, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Santiago Mare, 23 Fernando Luna

TOULON
15 Edoardo Padovani, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 JP Pietersen, 11 Eneriko Buliruarua, 10 Jonathan Wisniewski, 9 Anthony Meric, 8 Raphaël Lakafia, 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (Capt.), 6 Jean Monribot, 5 Mamuka Gorgodze, 4 Swan Rebbadj, 3 Emerick Setiano, 2 Bastien Soury, 1 Florian Fresia

Replacements: 16 Badri Alkhazashvili, 17 Thomas Vernet, 18 Corentin Vernet, 19 Jocelino Suta, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Eric Escande, 22 Luke McAlister, 23 Marcel Van der Merwe, 24 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 25 Hugo Bonneval, 26 Laurent Delboulbes

Venue: CASI, Buenos Aires
Date: Saturday July 29
Kick-off: 1pm
Television: ESPN 2 and ESPN Play