Argentine Head Coach Daniel Hourcade has confirmed his lineup for Saturday’s Rugby Championship match against Australia. The South Americans will take-on the Wallabies in Perth at 7:05am Argentine time.
Named to start are Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Santiago González Iglesias, Lucas González Amorosino and Tomás Cubelli. The first two of these changes are injury enforced while the latter two are tactical.
With Guido Petti ruled out Leguizamón returns to the starting lineup at flanker. This sees Javier Ortega Desio moved to play out of position in place of Petti at lock. Santiago González Iglesias will take over from Juan Martín Hernández at inside center. El Mago is expected to also miss the round five fixture against New Zealand.
At scrum half Tomás Cubelli will earn his first start of the Rugby Championship. He will be up against a number of teammates from the Brumbies. Martín Landajo will cover from the bench. Matías Orlando will join him after Hourcade has moved Matías Moroni from wing to outside center. This sees Lucas González Amorosino starting in Perth.
Earning his first cap of the year will be Gabriel Ascárate. Having missed out through injuries, including all of Super Rugby, he will play on the bench. He has been named as Argentina’s reserve mid-fielder which sees Orlando featuring as a replacement winger.
Saturday’s match will be the 26th between Australia and Argentina. The Wallabies have won 19 of the prior internationals with Argentina winning five. The only draw took place following Rugby World Cup 1987 in Buenos Aires.
There has been one prior test between the countries in Perth. They met in the 2013 Rugby Championship with Australia winning 14-13. Agustín Creevy, Nicolás Sánchez, Tomas Cubelli, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Martin Landajo, Pablo Matera and Juan Manuel Leguizamón were all involved. Leguizamón scored a try.
ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy (capt.), 3 Ramiro Herrera, 4 Javier Ortega Desio, 5 Matías Alemanno, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 8 Facundo Isa, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Lucas González Amorosino, 12 Santiago González Iglesias, 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Santiago Cordero, 15 Joaquín Tuculet
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Gabriel Ascárate, 23 Matías Orlando