Contepomi to miss Irish rematch
Argentina head coach Marcelo Loffreda has confirmed the 22-man squad to face Ireland next Saturday in Buenos Aires, with stand-in skipper and fly-half Felipe Contepomi not included in the second Test match.
Players who were involved in the French league and were not considered as the Pumas won 22-20 over Eddie O’Sullivan’s side last night have now returned to the squad.
Loffreda has decided to include 10 men who were part of the starting XV in Santa Fe on Saturday.
They are Marcos Ayerza, Pablo Bouza, Tomas de Vedia, Martin Durand, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Francisco Leonelli, Esteban Lozada and Nicolas Vergallo.
Contepomi and Hernan Senillosa, who combined to scored the 22 points in the first win, will not play Ireland next weekend.
The Leinster fly-half, who captained the Pumas on Saturday, will travel to Dublin next week to collect his medical degree.
Contepomi’s last-gasp drop goal assured that Argentina take the lead and the match over a heartbroken Irish team when when wing Geordan Murphy failed with an attempt at a drop goal of his own.
The second Test will take place in Buenos Aires’ Jose Amalfitani stadium.
Argentina squad: H Agulla (Hindu), M Ayerza (Leicester Tigers), M Gaitan, M Bosch, M Carizza (all Biarritz), M Schustermann, P Bouza (both Leeds Tykes), M Contepomi (Rovigo), T De Vedia (Saracens), M Durand, F Todeschini (both Montpellier), JM Fernandez Lobbe (Sale Sharks), N Fernandez Miranda (Aviron Bayonnais Rugby), E Lozada, P Gambarini (both CASI), S Gonzalez Bonorino (Capitolina), E Guinazu (Agen), P Henn (Montauban), JM Leguizamon (London Irish), F Leonelli (Glasgow Warriors), F Serra (SIC), N Vergallo (Jockey Club Rosario).
