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Argentina’s preparation for Saturday’s test match is complicated. Los Pumas are looking to bounce back from Sunday’s 39-0 loss against New Zealand but are still counting the cost of injuries. Four starting players from the one-sided match have been named by the medical staff as recovering from injuries.
Jerónimo de la Fuente suffered a torn left abductor in his left leg. The injury saw him replaced in the second half. It took place following the tactical substitution wherein fellow starting center, Matías Moroni, was replacement by Santiago Chocobares. de la Fuente was replaced by Gonzalo García. The debuting scrum-half played wing in a reconfigured back line.
Rodrigo Bruni is nursing a shoulder injury. He has been the starting N8 throughout 2021 as well as in the 2020 Tri Nations. This involved Facundo Isa moving to flanker. Isa is now back in France recovering from an injury sustained against South Africa. Rookie Juan Martín González replaced Bruni on Sunday.
Facundo Gigena started at loose head. He did so in place of Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro who is now in Italy with his new club, Benetton. Gigena was replaced by Carlos Muzzio in the second-half this past weekend. He is now sidelined with a calf injury. Muzzio is thus the prime candidate to start. A debut may await Thomas Gallo as the replacement loose head.
Nicolás Sánchez was also unable to play the full 80 minutes on Sunday. He limped off the field with a sprained ankle. He was the only specialist fly half in the 23. The injury saw Emiliano Boffelli playing out of position at fly half. Domingo Miotti is likely to start in place of Sánchez in Saturday’s rematch.
As noted, de la Fuente, Bruni, Gigena and Sánchez are unlikely to feature for Argentina on Sunday. In addition to the mentioned players there are others who may get their first opportunities to play in the 2021 Rugby Championship. Mateo Carreras Francisco Gorrissen, Tomás Lezana, Marcos Moneta, Joaquín Oviedo and Juan Pablo Zeiss are cases in point.
📌 Parte médico de @lospumas
▶️ Jerónimo de la Fuente: desgarro del aductor izquierdo.
▶️ Rodrigo Bruni: traumatismo de hombro.
▶️ Facundo Gigena: sobrecarga muscular en gemelo derecho.
▶️ Nicolás Sánchez: esguince de tobillo izquierdo#ZurichRugbyChampionship #VamosLosPumas
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) September 15, 2021
