Changes to Argentina roster for New Zealand tour

Michael Cheika has made changes to Argentina’s roster. Los Pumas will tour New Zealand playing their round three and four Rugby Championship matches against the All Blacks in Christchurch and Hamilton. Six alterations have been made from the squad that took-on the Wallabies in Mendoza and San Juan.

The missing names are a combination of injuries and players returning to their clubs in Europe. Veteran fly half Nicolás Sánchez and center Jerónimo de la Fuente miss out through injuries. Benjamín Urdapilleta is fit to tour while no replacement center has been added for de la Fuente.

What could be a starting front-row is missing; Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Agustín Creevy and Francisco Gómez Kodela will not travel to New Zealand. Cheika has replaced them with Mayco Vivas, Santiago Socino and Eduardo Bello. Ignacio Ruiz will also tour, thereby giving Argentina a third hooker option.

Second-rower Lucas Paulos and winger Juan Imhoff are also not on the roster to tour New Zealand. The former did not receive game time while the latter was a try-scorer in the win in San Juan. Guido Petti is back after a rest to occupy Paulos’ spot. No winger has been added though Bautista Delguy joined the roster to face Australia late.

The opening match will be on August 27 in Christchurch. It will be a home match for Pablo Matera. The flanker won the Super Rugby title this year with the Crusaders.

 

2022 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ARGENTINA ROSTER – NEW ZEALAND TOUR

LOOSE HEAD
Thomas Gallo (Benetton, IT)
Mayco Vivas (Jaguares XV)

HOOKER
Julián Montoya (Leicester Tigers, UK)
Ignacio Ruiz (Jaguares XV)
Santiago Socino (Gloucester, UK)

TIGHT HEAD
Eduardo Bello (Saracens, UK)
Santiago Medrano (Worcester Warriors, UK)
Joel Sclavi (La Rochelle, FR)

SECOND-ROW
Matías Alemanno (Gloucester, UK)
Tomás Lavanini (Clermont, FR)
Guido Petti (Bordeaux, FR)

BACK-ROW
Rodrigo Bruni (Brive, FR)
Juan Martín González (London Irish, UK)
Santiago Grondona (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
Facundo Isa (Toulon, FR)
Marcos Kremer (Stade Français, FR)
Pablo Matera (Crusaders, NZ)
Joaquín Oviedo (Perpignan, FR)

SCRUM-HALF
Lautaro Bázan Vélez (Rovigo, IT)
Gonzalo Bertranou (Dragons, UK)
Tomás Cubelli (Biarritz, FR)

FLY HALF
Tomás Albornoz (Benetton, IT)
Santiago Carreras (Gloucester, UK)
Benjamín Urdapilleta (Castres, FR)

CENTER
Lucio Cinti (London Irish, UK)
Lucas Mensa (Mont de Marsan, FR)
Matías Moroni (Newcastle Falcons, UK)
Matías Orlando (Newcastle Falcons, UK)

WING
Emiliano Boffelli (Edinburgh, UK)
Santiago Cordero (Bordeaux, FR)
Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR)

FULLBACK
Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse, FR)