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Argentina host Australia tomorrow in the final fixture of the 2017 Rugby Championship. The tournament has not been memorable for either side. Between them they have managed just a solitary victory.
Australia’s one win was over Argentina in Canberra in week four. Either side of that match the Wallabies competed to draws against South Africa. Los Pumas’ best rugby was against New Zealand, specifically the opening half in New Plymouth.
In seeking a first win of the 2017 campaign Argentina has history to recall. The same fixture in 2014 was when Los Pumas won their first Rugby Championship match. It was also played at the same ground. Since then the teams have met on five occasions, Australia winning all of them.
The under pressure Daniel Hourcade has made four changes. It begins in the second-row where he followed through with team protocol, dropping Tomás Lavanini. His yellow card against New Zealand saw a new record set for his country. Him being left out is all the more notable given that Guido Petti is out injured.
With Lavanini and Petti missing a new-look combination starts in Mendoza. A fit-again Matías Alemanno starts as does 20-year-old Marcos Kremer.
Also yellow carded in Buenos Aires was Ramiro Herrera. He also pays the price, missing out on a place in the team. His spot on the bench goes to Enrique Pieretto. The starting front-row, though, is unchanged.
Remaining changes to the pack see Tomás Lezana moving from flanker to No 8. He started in the position in Canberra. Not only does he take over from Juan Manuel Leguizamón but he does so for a vastly different back-row. Mobility is the policy with Lezana joining Pablo Matera and Javier Ortega Desio. Both Benjamín Macome and Leonardo Senatore provide cover, the former also covering the second-row.
In the backs the injured Tomás Cubelli has been replaced by Martín Landajo in the only change. With Landajo promoted from the bench the replacement spot has gone to Gonzalo Bertranou. Game time would see him making his Rugby Championship debut.
Bertranou is to be joined by Santiago González Iglesias on the bench. He gets the nod over Juan Martín Hernández. Santiago Cordero completes the 23.
Australian Head Coach Michael Cheika has moved no pieces. Instead an unchanged Wallabies side will play in Mendoza. This is the first time that Cheika has resisted changes in his three years in charge of Australia.
While the starting line-up is in tact there are alterations among the replacements. Missing out are Waratahs players Ned Hanigan and Tom Robertson. Their spots have gone to Lukhan Tui and Tetera Faulkner respectively. There is also a recall for Henry Speight who covers another Fijian winger, Marika Koroibete.
Not only is Australia more settled and playing better but the Wallabies are ranked comfortably higher in the world rankings. A Pumas victory requires a very impressive performance and a repeat of an Australian disappointing game similar to that against Scotland in June.
ARGENTINA
15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Matías Moroni, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Tomás Lezana, 7 Javier Ortega Desio, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Marcos Kremer, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy (Capt.), 1 Lucas Noguera Paz
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Benjamín Macome, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Santiago Cordero
AUSTRALIA
15 Israel Folau, 14 Marika Koroibete, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Reece Hodge, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Sean McMahon, 7 Michael Hooper (Capt.), 6 Jack Dempsey, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Lukhan Tui, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Samu Kerevi, 23 Henry Speight
Date: Saturday October 7
Stadium: Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza
Kick-off: 7:40pm
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistants: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) and Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
