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Cheika swings the axe as Los Pumas make 11 changes
An injury hit Los Pumas have made 11 changes to the side that lost to Scotland in the second Test in Salta last weekend.
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The returning Pablo Matera comes back in on the blindside, taking over the captaincy from the injured Julian Montoya. Augustin Creevy replaces him, making his first start since the 2019 Rugby World Cup – at the ripe old age of 37.
Santiago Grondona replaces Marcos Kremer, who drops to the bench. In fact, just Guido Petti survives from the pack who lost to Gregor Townsend’s men last weekend.
A debut has been handed to Lautaro Bazan Velez, a Sevens player, who will start at scrumhalf. Fellow debutants – hooker Ignacio Ruiz and flyhalf Tomas Albornoz – are named on the bench.
Many of the changes are injury-enforced. Michael Cheika’s side lost five more players to injury ahead of their decisive Test against Scotland on Saturday. As well as the aforementioned Montoya, the home team already had to do without their first-choice halfback pairing of Tomas Cubelli and Nicolas Sanchez after both tore muscles in the first Test win over the Scots in San Salvador de Jujuy on July 2.
Now they must do without Montoya, Santiago Cordero, Domingo Miotti and Felipe Ezcurra, all hurt in last Saturday’s 29-6 second Test loss in Salta.
Benjamin Urdapilleta is also out after failing to recover from a leg injury, the Argentine Rugby Union confirmed on Tuesday.
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¡Así forman Los Pumas! 🐆🇦🇷
De cara al último partido de la ventana de julio ante Escocia, estos son los 23 jugadores que tendrá a disposición Michael Cheika en el estadio Único Madre de Ciudades.
📆 Sábado 16
⏰ 16:10 h
🏉 @Scotlandteam #VuelvenLosPumas #VamosLosPumas pic.twitter.com/eJhlnJ6Lyo— Los Pumas (@lospumas) July 14, 2022
Scotland have also opted for a raft of changes, with Townsend making eight changes from the winning side.
ARGENTINA TEAM VS SCOTLAND:
1 Thomas Gallo
2 Agustín Creevy
3 Joel Sclavi
4 Guido Petti
5 Tomás Lavanini
6 Pablo Matera (c)
7 Santiago Grondona
8 Facundo Isa
9 Lautaro Bazán Vélez
10 Santiago Carreras
11 Emiliano Boffelli
12 Matías Moroni
13 Matías Orlando
14 Bautista Delguy
15 Juan Cruz Mallía
REPLACEMENTS
16 Ignacio Ruiz
17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
18 Francisco Gómez Kodela
19 Marcos Kremer
20 Juan Martín González Samso
21 Gonzalo Bertranou
22 Tomás Albornoz
23 Lucio Cinti
additional reporting AAP
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments