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A fourth decade begins in one of rugby’s notable rivalries. Argentina plays host to Scotland in on Saturday for the first of three test matches. The match itself is the first host game for Los Pumas in three years. It is also the beginning of the Michael Cheika era. The former Wallabies head coach’s first task is finding the winning formula in northern Argentina.
Jujuy will be the setting for the first of three test matches between Argentina and Scotland in July. Salta and Santiago del Estero will host the following matches. Taking test rugby to the north is a strategic move to continue to grow the sport in Argentina.
Cheika’s first line-up is well-balanced. He has opted for veteran props Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and Francisco Gómez Kodela to join captain Julián Montoya in the front-row. Tetaz Chaparral starts with Thomas Gallo sitting out the match with a minor injury. The same applies to lock Tomás Lavanini. Both should feature in the Salta test match.
Guido Petti and Matías Alemanno will be the line-out targets while there will be plenty of support from flankers Juan Martín González Samso and Marcos Kremer. Cheika has opted for Pablo Matera to play N8, a position he did feature in for several matches of Super Rugby this year.
The backline sees a return to the tried and tested. Tomás Cubelli, and Nicolás Sánchez start with Santiago Carreras on the bench rather than playing as the starting fly half. Cubelli and Sánchez will be the two playmakers in the backs. The hard-running Jerónimo de la Fuente, and Matías Orlando start in the mid-field while Emiliano Boffelli and Santiago Cordero offer plenty of gas outwide and utility Juan Cruz Mallía is a minor surprise at fullback.
The replacements see test returns for Mayco Vivas and Agustín Creevy. The latter is set to earn his first cap since 2019. European champion Joel Sclavi will make his test debut as the understudy to Gómez Kodela. Lucas Paulos and Facundo Isa are excellent replacements for the second-row and back-row respectively.
Neither Gonzalo Bertranou nor Matías Moroni were on the initial roster. Both have recovered to force their way onto the bench. They join Santiago Carreras to see all positions covered.
Scotland will be captained by Grant Gilchrist. While it is a change it is not a first; Gilchrist has previously led Scotland in test rugby. He starts alongside Jonny Gray in an elite second-row pairing.
Flanker Luke Crosbie will play in his second cap; otherwise Scotland’s line-up is very established. Crosbie joins Magnus Bradbury and Matt Fagerson in the back-row. The trio all featured last weekend against Chile.
There is no shortage of size in the front-row. South African Pierre Schoeman joins George Turner and Zander Fagerson. Less experience will cover from the bench. Among the replacements are Australian Sione Tuipulotu, Welshman Javan Sebastian, and Englishmen Sam Skinner and Ben White.
Additional players involved via eligibility laws start in the backs. Englishmen Rory Hutchinson and Ali Price start at fullback and scrum-half, Australian Sam Johnson starts at inside center, and South African Duhan van der Merwe will play on the left wing for Scotland.
The test match is to be the first between Argentina and Scotland since 2018. Scotland won both matches that year between the teams. The first was the last match under Daniel Hourcade while the latter saw Argentina losing by five points in a match wherein the Pumas missed four penalties.
With the July 2022 series containing three matches, the winner in Jujuy will be well-placed. Getting a solid start is central with an outlook not only to the series but also to the World Cup next year and to world rankings. Scotland are presently 7th and Argentina 8th in the world.
TEAMS
ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Julián Montoya (capt.), 3 Francisco Gómez Kodela, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Matías Alemanno, 6 Juan Martín González Samso, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Pablo Matera, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Santiago Cordero, 15 Juan Cruz Mallía
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Lucas Paulos, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Matías Moroni
SCOTLAND
1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 George Turner, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Grant Gilchrist (capt.), 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Luke Crosbie, 8 Matt Fagerson, 9 Ali Price, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 12 Sam Johnson, 13 Matt Bennett, 14 Darcy Graham, 15 Rory Hutchinson
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Rory Darge, 21 Ben White, 22 Ross Thompson, 23 Sione Tuipulotu
Date: Saturday, July 02
Kick-Off: 4:05pm (Argentina)
Venue: Estadio 23 de Agosto, San Salvador de Jujuy (AR)
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal (France); Pierre Brousset (France)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
HISTORICAL RESULTS
November 24, 2018 – Scotland 14-09 Argentina (Edinburgh, UK)
June 23, 2018 – Argentina 15-44 Scotland (Resistencia, AR)
November 19, 2016 – Scotland 19-16 Argentina (Edinburgh, UK)
November 08, 2014 – Scotland 41-31 Argentina (Edinburgh, UK)
June 21, 2014 – Argentina 19-21 Scotland (Córdoba, AR)
September 25, 2011 – Argentina 13-12 (Wellington, NZ)
June 19, 2010 – Argentina 13-09 Scotland (Mar del Plata, AR)
June 12, 2010 – Argentina 16-24 Scotland (Tucumán, AR)
November 28, 2009 – Scotland 06-09 Argentina (Edinburgh, UK)
June 14, 2008 – Argentina 14-26 Scotland (Buenos Aires, AR)
June 07, 2008 – Argentina 21-15 Scotland (Rosario, AR)
October 07, 2007 – Argentina 19-13 Scotland (Paris, FR)
November 12, 2005 – Scotland 19-23 Argentina (Edinburgh, UK)
November 18, 2001 – Scotland 16-25 Argentina (Edinburgh, UK)
August 21, 1999 – Scotland 22-31 Argentina (Edinburgh, UK)
June 11, 1994 – Argentina 19-17 Scotland (Buenos Aires, AR)
June 04, 1994 – Argentina 16-15 Scotland (Buenos Aires, AR)
November 10, 1990 – Scotland 49-03 Argentina (Edinburgh, UK)
