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Multiple wingers are injured for Argentina. Following the opening days of training for year it was revealed that Manuel Montero and Santiago Cordero and Ramiro Moyano are all injured.
The trio account for three of the four specialist wingers named by Head Coach Daniel Hourcade in the squad. The roster has 32 players in total and Hourcade is reacting by utilizing players out of position to suit the team’s needs.
In training on Wednesday Hourcade had Emiliano Boffelli and Matías Moroni as his starting wingers. The former would make his test debut if selected. The latter is an outside center who can cover wing when required.
Montero and Cordero have both been released from the roster. Neither player is going to be fit to be considered for the San Juan test match on June 10. Cordero requires 2-3 weeks recovery for an ankle injury. Montero has a hip injury and is estimated to be unavailable for 10 days.
Of the three Moyano is the one who may be considered to play in San Juan. The Tucumán player has a sprained ankle and is to resume training under Hourcade on Monday. Hourcade has added Sevens player Germán Schulz to the roster as cover.
A fourth player has also been confirmed as injured this week. Loose Head prop Santiago García Botta has a facial injury but is to join the roster on Monday.
Replacements have been identified within the roster for all four players. Hourcade utilized Tight Head top Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro as his starting Loose Head prop in training. Tetaz Chaparro is to travel to Chile today with the Argentina XV. He has missed the entire Super Rugby season through injury.
In 2016 Hourcade also started Tetaz Chaparro out of position. This was following García Botta starting against Italy in Santa Fé. Lucas Noguera Paz was injured at the time. Yet despite Noguera Paz being fully fir, Hourcade is continuing with Tetaz Chaparro. He joined Agustín Creevy and Ramiro Herrera as the starting front-row formation in training.
With England bringing bulk and grunt Hourcade is looking for size to fight them off. This has seen a second-row combination of Matías Alemanno and Tomás Lavanini as the preferred combination. The more mobile Guido Petti is back-up.
Veteran Juan Manuel Leguizamón joined Tomás Lezana and Leonardo Senatore as the starting back-row trio. Put together with the front five forwards it provides Argentina with a larger pack of forwards than is customary.
In the backline Martín Landajo and Nicolás Sánchez resumed their halves partnership. Sánchez was not joined by a play-maker at inside center. Instead Hourcade had two specialist running centers in Jerónimo de la Fuente and Matías Orlando. Boffelli, Moroni and Joaquín Tuculet completed the starting lineup as the back-three.
ARGENTINA FORMATION
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 4 Matías Alemanno, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 7 Tomás Lezana, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 9 Martín Landajo, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Matías Moroni, 15 Joaquín Tuculet
