Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
A week after a convincing win in Medellín over Colombia the Argentina XV are looking to go 2-0 up in the Sudamérica 6 Naciones A. Their opponents this weekend will be Chile, a team to have lost but competed strongly last Saturday against the Uruguay XV.
Argentina XV Head Coach Ignacio Fernández Lobbe has made six changes from the side that defeated Colombia. In the backs the RWC 1999, 2003, and 2007 second-rower has replaced Matías Osadczuk with Agustín Segura moving from fullback. This enables Tomás Albornoz to start at the back.
Changes to the forwards see Javier Corvalán coming in for Juan Manuel Pitinari at loose head prop; Ignacio Calas replacing Carlos Repetto in the second-row; and Nicolás Sbrocco, and Santiago Portillo starting in place of Santiago Montagner, and Benito Ortiz de Rosas in the back-row.
Los Cóndores Head Coach Pablo Lemoine has gone for wholesale changes. This sees an all-new front-row with Piero Zunino, Augusto Bohme, and Nicolás Ovalle named to start in place of Javier Carraso, Tomás Dussaillant, and Matías Dittus.
In the second-row Pablo Huete has been retained but he will partner Francisco Garrido rather than Javier Wissman in the engine-room. Behind them will be Martín Sigren who moves from flanker to N8 to replace Ignacio Silva. Nicolás Garafulic joins Clemente Saavedra as the starting flankers.
In the backs Lemoine has replaced halves Beltrán Vergara, and Santiago Videla with Aldo Cornejo, and Benjamín Baraono. Tomás Salas takes over from Julio Blanc on the left wing to join German Herrera as the starting wingers.
At the back Luca Strabucchi takes over from Christian Huerta while Lucca Avelli replaces José Ignacio Larenas in the mid-field. The match-up between Avelli, and Agustín Segura is set to be a feature of the contest.
The long history of international competition between Argentina, and Chile has seen Los Cóndores winless. Against the Argentina XV there have been four annual matches while Chile has also played against Argentina in over 40 capped internationals.
The likelihood of Chile claiming a first ever win over the Argentina XV on Saturday are very low. The Argentina XV enter the match as favorites to win by 60 points.
The match will be streamed live by scrum.
TEAMS
ARGENTINA XV
1 Javier Corvalán, 2 José González, 3 Martín Segurotti, 4 Carlos Repetto, 5 Jerónimo Ureta, 6 Nicolás Sbrocco, 7 Francisco Gorrissen (capt.), 8 Santiago Portillo, 9 Gregório del Prete, 10 Martín Roger, 11 Manuel Montero, 12 Lucas Mensa, 13 Agustín Segura, 14 Julián Domínguez, 15 Tomás Albornoz
Replacements: 16 Diego Fortuny, 17 Juan Pitinnari, 18 Lucas Favre, 19 Ignacio Calas, 20 Lucas Santa Cruz, 21 Ignacio Inchauspe, 22 Tomás Cubilla, 23 Francisco Cordero
CHILE
1 Piero Zunino, 2 Augusto Bohme, 3 Nicolás Ovalle, 4 Pablo Huete, 5 Francisco Garrido, 6 Nicolás Garafulic, 7 Clemente Saavedra, 8 Martín Sigren (capt.), 9 Aldo Cornejo, 10 Benjamín Baraona, 11 Tomás Salas, 12 Iñaki Ayarza, 13 Lucca Avelli, 14 Germán Herrera, 15 Luca Strabucchi
Replacements: 16 Javier Meneses, 17 Claudio Iturra, 18 José Tomás Munita, 19 Augusto Sarmiento, 20 Benjamín Soto, 21 Ignacio Silva, 22 Juan Pablo Larenas, 23 Domingo Saavedra
Date:
Kick-Off: 3:30pm local (2:30pm Chile)
Venue: Tucumán Lawn Tennis
Referee: Santiago Altobelli (Argentina)
Assistant Referees: Mathias Ortíz de Rosas (Argentina), Juan Manuel Montenegro (Argentina)
