Cheika rings the changes for must-win match against Japan
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Argentina coach Michael Cheika has made 11 changes to his team for their must-win final World Cup Pool D match against Japan in Nantes on Sunday.
Santiago Carreras returns at flyhalf in place of Nicolas Sanchez, who drops to the bench, while prop Francisco Gomez Kodela will make his first start since the opening-game defeat against England.
Only Guido Petti, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez and Lucio Cinti retained their places from the team that defeated Chile 59-5 last week.
The winner of Sunday’s match will qualify for the World Cup quarterfinals alongside already-qualified England, who will top the pool.
The loser will miss out on advancing to the knock-out phase.
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Emiliano Boffelli, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Joel Sclavi, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Pedro Rubiolo, 21 Lautaro Bazan, 22 Nicolas Sanchez, 23 Matias Moroni.
Date: Sunday, October 8
Venue: Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Kick-off: 13.00 (11.00 GMT; 08.00 ART; 20.00 JST)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), James Doleman (New Zealand)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
