Argentina looks to 'unlock' Boks
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Argentina, like South Africa, made only one change – to the second row – for their Rugby Championship rematch.
Tomas Lavanini replaces Matias Alemanno at lock in the only change to the Los Pumas starting line-up for the match in Mendoza Saturday.
The Pumas lost 21-34 to the Springboks last Saturday in the opening round of the Southern Hemisphere championship.
Alemanno drops down to the bench, where there are three other changes – with centre Jeronimo de la Fuente, scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli and hooker Facundo Bosch promoted.
Utility back Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, hooker Diego Fortuny and veteran scrumhalf Martin Landajo drop out of the matchday 23 for the game at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas.
Cubelli is back in the squad after a long absence, having been injured against New Zealand in the Rugby Championship last year.
The Pumas will be seeking only a second home victory over the Springboks after one win, one draw and 11 losses in the South American nation since they first met there 25 years ago.
Hooker Agustin Creevy skippers a side that lost twice to Wales and once to Scotland at home during June before coming off second best to South Africa in Durban.
Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustin Creevy (captain), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 23 Juan Cruz Mallia.
Date: Saturday, August 25
Venue: Estadio Malvinas Argentina, Mendoza
Kick-off: 16.10 (21.10 SA time, 19.10 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Los Pumas team to play @Springboks next saturday in #Mendoza.@SanzarTRC#PersonalRugbyChampionship #JugamosTodos 🏉#ARGvRSA pic.twitter.com/w8t04DVg25
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) August 23, 2018