Argentina Lose Montoya for Rugby Championship Opener

An injury blow sees Argentina losing Julián Montoya for the Rugby Championship opener. The second choice Pumas hooker has been ruled out for 2-3 weeks, making him unfit to travel to South Africa with the team tomorrow.

Montoya had been named in the 28-man roster by Mario Ledesma yesterday. He was one of three hookers, the other being captain Agustín Creevy and the uncapped Diego Fortuny.

Creevy is now set to start in Durban on August 18 with Fortuny as his replacement. Fortuny gets the opportunity despite having played just one Super Rugby match, doing so from the bench against the Stormers in June.

Fortuny won the 2017 Rugby Player of the Year award (Mejor Rugbyer del año) from his provincial union, the Unión de Rugby de Salta. He has been a regular in 2017 and 2018 for the Argentina XV and is now set to debut against South Africa.

The decision to select Fortuny comes despite Argentina having three excellent hookers currently playing in Europe. Tomás Baravalle (Benetton Treviso, Facundo Bosch (Agen), and Santiago Socino (Newcastle Falcons) were all regulars in the 2017-2018 European season.

Rather than call-up one of the three from Europe, Ledesma has placed trust in the system. This has seen the vacated roster spot going to Rodrigo Bruni, a player with no experience in Super Rugby. The San Luis flanker will travel with the team to South Africa.

Bruni trained in place of Pablo Matera at flanker earlier this week. He did so with Tomás Lezana also sidelined. Both Matera and Lezana are in the squad and are fit to take-on the Springboks. Should Bruni receive game time he will make his test debut.

ARGENTINA ROSTER

FORWARDS
Juan Figallo (Saracens), Santiago García Botta (Belgrano / Jaguares), Santiago Medrano (Regatas Bella Vista / Jaguares), Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (La Plata / Jaguares), *Juan Pablo Zeiss (Los Matreros), Agustín Creevy (San Luis / Jaguares), Diego Fortuny (Uni Salta / Jaguares), Matías Alemanno (La Tablada / Jaguares), Tomás Lavanini (Hindú / Jaguares), Tomás Lezana (Santiago Lawn Tennis / Jaguares), Guido Petti (SIC / Jaguares), * Rodrigo Bruni (San Luis),  Marcos Kremer (Atlético del Rosario / Jaguares), Pablo Matera (Alumni / Jaguares), Javier Ortega Desio (Estudientes de Paraná / Jaguares)

BACKS
Gonzalo Bertranou (Los Tordos / Jaguares), Tomás Cubelli (Belgrano / Jaguares), Martín Landajo (CASI / Jaguares), Nicolás Sánchez (Tucumán Lawn Tennis / Jaguares), Bautista Ezcurra (Hindú / Jaguares), Santiago González Iglesias (Alumni / Jaguares), Matías Moroni (CUBA / Jaguares), Matías Orlando (Huirapuca / Jaguares), Sebastián Cancelliere (Hindú / Jaguares), Bautista Delguy (Pucará / Jaguares), Ramiro Moyano (Lince / Jaguares), Emiliano Boffelli (Duendes / Jaguares), Juan Cruz Mallía (Jockey Córdoba / Jaguares)

*Uncapped

ARGENTINA FIXTURES
August 18: vs South Africa, Durban
August 25: vs South Africa, Mendoza
September 8: vs New Zealand, Nelson
September 15: vs Australia, Gold Coast
September 29: vs New Zealand, Buenos Aires
October 6: vs Australia, Salta