Test century beckons for Bristol centre after Argentina forced into changes

It was a costly weekend for Argentina on the injury front with two players ruled out of the Nations Championship and another whose participation is now in doubt.

Argentina have arrived in London and are now in camp ahead of their Northern Hemisphere fixtures against Ireland (6 November), Italy (14 November) and France (21 November), followed by Finals Weekend.

Having named his squad last week, Felipe Contepomi has since lost the services of full-back/fly-half Santiago Carreras and prop Thomas Gallo, while Santiago Chocobares’ involvement depends on the outcome of an HIA.

Carreras limped off in the 13th minute of Bath’s 23-5 derby defeat at the hands his former club Gloucester on Friday night, with a bad lower limb injury, and watched the rest of the match on crutches.

The 70-cap international is due to undergo a scan to determine the extent of the injury, which appears to be long-term, and his place in the squad has been taken by rookie Mateo Soler. Soler, 25, made his Test debut off the bench against Australia last month.

Meanwhile, Gallo has been withdrawn due to a wrist injury, which opens the door for Dragons prop Rodrigo Martinez to add to his four caps, which have been won over a five-year period.

Centre Matías Moroni could get the opportunity to join the fast-expanding Pumas centurions club after being called up as standby cover for Chocobares, who received a blow to the head whilst playing for Toulouse at the weekend.

A facial injury in the defeat to Australia in Jujuy at the end of August left the 35-year-old stranded on 99 caps, and he was then left out of Argentina’s original squad for the November internationals.

Guido Petti and Matías Alemanno became Test centurions in July and Moroni could now join them, 12 years after his Pumas debut, if the equally experienced Chocobares is stood down.

Currently, former fly-half Nicolás Sánchez is the only centurion to have played in the backs, with the other 100-cap club members being current captain Pablo Matera, long-time leaders Julián Montoya and Agustín Creevy, and Matías Alemanno.