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The wait is over. For the first time in 2020 Argentina will take to the field. Los Pumas will do so against New Zealand, the most successful test team in rugby history. The match is a continuation of the annual competition between the sides. However, unlike 2012-2019 they are competing in the Tri Nations not the Rugby Championship.
New Zealand were forced into a change up front. Ofa Tu’ungafasi was suspended following his red card from last weekend vs Australia. Tu’ungafasi was sent-off for a high tackle wherein his shoulder made direct contact with an opposition players’ head.
Head Coach Ian Foster has elevated Tyrel Lomax from the bench. He is one of eleven changes to the starting line-up for Saturday’s match. Lomax replaces Tu’ungafasi to join Joe Moody and Dane Coles in the front-row. They replace Karl Tu’inukuafe and Codie Taylor respectively.
Patrick Tuipulotu replaces Scott Barrett in the second-row. Tuipulotu will lock the scrum alongside Sam Whitelock. The Crusader will earn his 121st cap. There is one further change in the forwards. It sees Shannon Frizell starting in place of Akira Ioane at flanker.
Foster has made six changes to the backs. The only retained position is at outside center where Anton Lienert-Brown holds his place. He will partner Jack Goodhue in the mid-field with Ngani Laumape dropping out of the team.
There is a double change in the halves. TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett started last week, but this week it will be Aaron Smith and Richie Mo’unga. Beauden Barrett moves to fullback and his brother, Jordie Barrett, moves from fullback to wing. Rookie sensation Caleb Clarke completes the starting line-up on the left wing. He replaces Blues teammate Rieko Ioane.
Mario Ledesma has openly welcomed European-based players. Seven are in the starting line-up; the most since 2015. Juan Imhoff is in the team for the first time since 2015 and Francisco Gómez Kodela for the first time since 2013. Both players are well-respected in France; they are among the best in their positions.
Imhoff starts on the left wing. He will join Bautista Delguy and Santiago Carreras in the back-three. There will be speed to burn and more to enter with Bordeaux flier Santiago Cordero named on the bench.
Gómez Kodela will join Julián Montoya and Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro in the front-row. It is a rare Pumas look with one player contract to an Australian Super Rugby team and another to a Top 14 side. Three other Top 14 players will start in the forwards. Marcos Kremer and Pablo Matera will be the flankers and Guido Petti will play lock. Matías Alemanno joins Petti in the engine room.
The back-line contains three players who began RWC 2019. Two of them are in the halves: Tomás Cubelli and Nicolás Sánchez. The remaining player is Matías Orlando. He and Alemanno are the two English-based players starting the match.
Orlando will form a mid-field combination with the talented Santiago Chocobares. The former will offer reliable defense against New Zealand’s dangerous finishers. The latter is on his test debut. Also on debut are replacements Santiago Grondona, and Lucio Cinti. Grondona will cover flanker and Cinti the mid-field. Cinti has no Super Rugby experience. He has previously played for Los Pumas 7’s.
The decision to name Cinti means there is no replacement fly half. Cinti has been selected instead of Domingo Miotti. If Sánchez needs to be replaced then Carreras will move to fly half.
Argentina has never defeated New Zealand. Of the 29 prior matches the All Blacks have 28 wins. The closest result was a 21-21 draw between the countries in 1985. That match was just the second official test match between Argentina and New Zealand.
Despite the fact that South Africa won RWC 2019, the All Blacks are commonly recognized as the best team in the world. New Zealand recovered from a draw to record big wins in two of the four matches vs Australia in 2012. Notwithstanding, Ian Foster’s team hit a bump in the road last weekend. The 24-22 defeat was their first since claiming Bronze at RWC 2019.
Argentina’s lack of game time is a talking point. On the flip side, it may not be overly significant; New Zealand’s players have had a heavy workload. The injection of European-based players could mean Argentina are surprisingly competitive. ARN projects New Zealand to win by 12 points.
TEAMS
NEW ZEALAND
1 Joe Moody, 2 Dane Coles, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 5 Sam Whitelock, 6 Shannon Frizell, 7 Sam Cane (capt.), 8 Ardie Savea, 9 Aaron Smith, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 11 Caleb Clarke, 12 Jack Goodhue, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 14 Jordie Barrett, 15 Beauden Barrett
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Hoskins Sotutu, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Rieko Ioane, 23 Damian McKenzie
ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Francisco Gómez Kodela, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Matías Alemanno, 6 Pablo Matera (capt.), 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Juan Imhoff, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Santiago Carreras
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Santiago Grondona, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Lucio Cinti, 23 Santiago Cordero
Date: Saturday, November 14
Kick-Off: 5:10pm (Sydney), 3:10am (Argentina)
Venue: Bankwest Stadium, Sydney, Australia
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (Australia) & Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Broadcast: ESPN
