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The 2020 South American 4 Nations closes on Sunday. The final match of the competition will be between the Rio de la Plata neighbors. The equation is simple – with two match points the Argentina XV will secure the title. The Uruguay XV and Chile have five points, four less than the Argentina XV.
Wholesale changes have been made by Esteban Meneses. The Uruguay Head Coach has made ten alternations from the side that lost to the Chile XV.
Up front props Matías Benítez and Diego Arbelo make way for Ezequiel Ramos and Ignacio Péculo. Guillermo Pujadas continues at hooker. Juanjuan Garese replaces Felipe Aliaga. He will lock the scrum with Lorenzo Surraco. Eric Dosantos has been retained at flanker, but will be partnered by Lucas Bianchi, and Santiago Civetta in the back-row.
Andrés Vilaseca is one of two constants in the back-line. He will captain the side from inside center. He will do so outside Rodrigo Silva who moves from fullback to fly half. Guillermo Lijtenstein drops to bench with Ignacio Rodríguez starting at scrum-half.
Outwide Baltamar Amaya has ben retained on the left wing. He will be joined by Juan Manuel Alsonso and José Irulguy in the back-three. Felipe Arcos Pérez takes over from Nicolás Freitas at outside center.
A combination of match-fitness and a search of fluidity may explain the Argentina XV’s line-up. Head Coach Ignacio Fernández Lobbe has named his strongest line-up of the tournament. It features five changes from Wednesday’s match against the Brazil XV.
Ignacio Ruiz has been retained at hooker. It is a double change at prop, however, with Francisco Minervino, and Lucas Favre replaced by Javier Díaz, and Francisco Minervino. Int he remains change to the forwards, Santiago Portillo replaces Federico Gutiérrez in the second-row.
The backs see returns to the starting side for Martín Elías, and Mateo Carreras. The former replaces Santiago Mare at fly half and the later takes over from Leopoldp Herrera on the wing.
The Argentina XV have a 2-0 record thus far. This is the case, despite the performances from the Argentine this far. The Argentina XV is yet to perform to the expected level. The Uruguay XV are 1-1. They were tested by the Brazil XV and beaten by the Chile XV. All told, the Argentina XV are favorites against the Uruguay. ARN predicts an Argentina XV win by 12 points.
TEAMS
URUGUAY XV
1 Ezequiel Ramos, 2 Guillermo Pujadas, 3 Ignacio Péculo, 4 Juanjuan Garese, 5 Lorenzo Surraco, 6 Eric Dosantos, 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Santiago Civetta, 9 Ignacio Rodríguez, 10 Rodrigo Silva, 11 Baltazar Amaya, 12 Andrés Vilaseca (capt.), 13 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 14 Juan Manuel Alonso, 15 José Iruleguy
Replacements: Matías Benítez, Diego Arbelo, Leandro Segredo, Felipe Aliaga, Guillermo Lijtenstein, Nicolás Freitas, Agustín Della Corte, Federico Favaro, Manuel Diana, Mateo Perillo
ARGENTINA XV
1 Javier Díaz, 2 Ignacio Ruiz, 3 Francisco Minervino, 4 Santiago Portillo, 5 Franco Molina, 6 Lautaro Bavaro, 7 Santiago Ruiz, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 9 Joaquín Pellandini, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Teo Castiglioni, 13 Tomás Cubilla (Capt.), 14 Matías Osadczuk, 15 Martín Cancelliere
Replacements: 16 Martín Vaca, 17 Lucas Favre, 17 Estanislao Carullo, 18 Rodrigo Martínez, 19 Federico Gutíerrez, 20 Lautaro Bázan Vélez, 21 Juan Pablo Castro, 22 Facundo Ferrario, 23 Santiago Mare, 24 Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel, 25 Ramiro Tallone
Date: Sunday, October 25
Kick-Off: 4:45pm
Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
Referee: Damián Schneider (Argentina)
Assistant Referes: Frank Méndez, (Chile), Cauá Ricardo (Brazil)
