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Argentina’s second match of Rugby World Cup 2023 will be against Samoa on Friday, September 22. The long wait between facing England first up and the second game gives the team plenty of time to right to wrongs and for players to be 100% fit. However, there are questions surrounding three players.
Juan Cruz Mallía was Argentina’s starting fullback against England. He was not able to play at 100%. He was part of a head-on-head collision which saw Tom Curry red carded following the 3rd minute incident.
Mallía played out the match but has not been training normal with the roster this week. He is one of two fullbacks on the roster. The other is Martín Bogado who debuted against South Africa and scored twice on his second test match appearance which was against Spain in Madrid.
Wingers Emiliano Boffelli and Rodrigo Isgró also both cover fullback. Mallía is expected to be fully fit in time for the match against Samoa. Be that as it may, there is cover within the roster should a decision be taken to give him more time to recover.
Joel Sclavi was a replacement against England. He had time on both the tight head and loose head prop sides; notwithstanding, his total number of game time was limited to just 17 minutes. Sclavi was replaced by Eduardo Bello.
It was clear that he was suffering from significant discomfort. Reports from Argentina’s medical staff note that Sclavi is now in doubt to face Samoa. He suffered a rib cartilage fracture.
Argentina’s roster contains five props. Sclavi is the one prop deemed capable of playing on both sides of the scrum. In his absence the scenario is simple: there are two loose heads and two tight heads. Thomas Gallo and Mayco Vivas are the former while Francisco Gómez Kodela and Eduardo Bello are the latter.
Sclavi had his first test start at loose head against Spain last month. The match fell days after Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro was ruled out of the World Cup. Michael Cheika called-up him Vivas and Lucio Sordoni for the match in Madrid. Vivas made the final roster with Sordoni now poised to receive a call should Sclavi’s injury recovery not be swift.
Gonzalo Bertranou started at scrum-half against England. The 54-time capped back was replaced in the second-half by Lautaro Bazán Vélez. Bertranou has not been training normal this week with the roster.
The pair are two of the three scrum-halves on Los Pumas’ roster. The third is veteran Tomás Cubelli who started against Spain in his only test match of the year thus far. Bazán Vélez started against South Africa in Johannesburg in the 2023 Rugby Championship.
Like Mallía and fullback there are no concerns in covering the position if Bertranou were to not play against Samoa. However, Bertranou is expected to be fully fit for that match.
