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Six changes for Argentina, uncapped U20 also named on their bench

By Liam Heagney
Argentina players during their recent win over Uruguay (Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)

Argentina have named a team to face New Zealand showing six changes from their recent win over Uruguay. Los Pumas followed up their drawn series versus France with a record 79-5 victory over Uruguay at Punta del Este on July 20 and they have now made two alterations to their pack and four in the backline for their opening-round match of The Rugby Championship in Wellington.

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Both changes in the pack are in the back row with Pablo Matera returning to skipper from blindside in place of Joaquin Moro and Juan Martin Gonzalez named at No8 instead of Joaquin Oviedo.

In the backs, Santiago Carreras is at fly-half for Tomas Albornoz. Lucio Cinti is at midfield for Jeronimo de la Fuente, Matias Moroni takes over from Ignacio Mendy on the right wing while Juan Cruz Mallia is at full-back for Santiago Cordero.

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An exciting bench development is the inclusion of the uncapped Efrain Elias, the new Toulouse recruit who impressively skippered Argentina to a fifth-place finish at the recent World Rugby U20 Championship in Cape Town.

Argentina (vs New Zealand, Saturday)
1. GALLO Thomas (26 caps)
2. RUIZ Ignacio (10 caps)
3. BELLO Eduardo (24 caps)
4. MOLINA Franco (3 caps)
5. RUBIOLO Pedro (12 caps)
6. MATERA Pablo (101 caps, captain)
7. KREMER Marcos (67 caps, vice-captain)
8. GONZALEZ Juan Martin (31 caps)
9. BERTRANOU Gonzalo (60 caps)
10. CARRERAS Santiago (45 caps)
11. CARRERAS Mateo (20 caps)
12. CHOCOBARES Santiago (21 caps)
13. CINTI Lucio (23 caps)
14. MORONI Matias (82 caps)
15. MALLIA Juan Cruz (33 caps, vice-captain)

Replacements:
16. CREEVY Agustin (108 caps)
17. VIVAS Mayco (24 caps)
18. SCLAVI Joel (18 caps)
19. ELIAS Efrain (uncapped)
20. LAVANINI Tomas (86 caps)
21. OVIEDO Joaquin (5 caps)
22. BAZAN VELEZ Lautaro (15 caps)
23. ALBORNOZ Thomas (8 caps)

Fixture
Rugby Championship
Australia
7 - 33
Full-time
South Africa
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B
Bull Shark 1 hour ago
Why Rassie Erasmus should cull some Boks veterans for 2027

I think cull is the wrong word.


I think Rassie and the senior players will be pretty open and honest with each other about their prospects for another World Cup campaign. And, ironically, I don’t think Rassie is thinking as far ahead as 2027 in terms of who is going to go.


There are likely going to be injuries too where players one would assume will be at 2027 won’t feature. Think Marx and Am and 2023.


I think the priority is really having as many players as possible in contention for a spot on the 33 by the time squad selection comes around.


I made this point a while ago, but having double World Cup winners in the setup over the next 3 years is going to be golden for the boks. It’s like having a coach in each position.


Razor was criticized for having too many coaches in his team. Rassie has more than 15 player coaches at his disposal.


I think Siya is being teed up to play the same role Duane did at the 2023 RWC. Invitation to the coaching box this coming weekend included.


I think many of the old guard are playing a role in the team that certainly does not guarantee them a 2027 place but doesn’t hurt their chances at being selected - but they will have to be the no.1 or no. 2 best in that position to be selected at that time. There won’t be any dead weight - whether old or young.


In my mind the strategy would be quite simple. Take everyone who will be over 32 by 2027 and pencil their names in right now in slot number three for their relative position. We know what they can do and they know what they need to do to be in contention for 2027.


Then ask yourself who do we have to take position no.1 and no. 2. Tried and tested or not. Find them and trial them over the next 3 years. Their job is to keep the old guys out. And the old guys job is to help them do just that.


That’s what Rassie has to do and has started well trying 48 players and 11 debutants in year one as the article mentioned (and winning).


I reckon there’ll be another 5-10 new players tried by the end of this year, particularly in November.


2024 ✅

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