Injuries force Los Pumas coach's hand
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Argentina welcomes back Ramiro Moyano, but must do without fellow wing Bautista Delguy when they host Australia Saturday in a Rugby Championship final-round Test in Salta.
A rib injury ruled Moyano out of the home loss to New Zealand last Saturday, robbing the Pumas of an elusive runner who had scored two tries in the Championship this season.
But the joy of having him back in the starting line-up has been diluted by the loss of Delguy with a shoulder injury sustained against the All Blacks.
Delguy has also made a major impact on the southern hemisphere championship by scoring three tries, including two in a home victory over South Africa.
Along with fullback Emiliano Boffelli, Delguy and Moyano have formed a dynamic trio, lessening the blow of having to do without long-term injury victim Joaquin Tuculet.
The absence of Delguy has triggered a backline reshuffle with two personnel and two positional changes from the side beaten 35-17 by New Zealand in Buenos Aires.
Moyano comes in on the left wing and Matias Moroni switches from there to the right wing in place of Delguy.
Matias Orlando is promoted from the bench to outside centre, Jeronimo de la Fuente moves from outside to inside centre and Bautista Ezcurra drops out of the matchday 23.
There are two changes to the bench with utility back Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias and prop Santiago Garcia Botta called up in place of promoted Orlando and demoted Juan Pablo Zeiss.
Argentina upset Australia 23-19 in the Gold Coast last month and will finish third ahead of the Wallabies provided they avoid defeat in northwestern city Salta.
Tradition offers struggling Australia hope, however, as they have won four of five previous Championship matches in Argentina.
Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 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 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustin Creevy (captain), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Sebastian Cancelliere.
Date: Saturday, October 5
Venue: Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta
Kick-off: 19.40 (22.40 GMT, 09.45, Sunday, October 6 AEDT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Mathieu Raynal (France), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: David Grashoff (England)
AFP
Pumas team to play @qantaswallabies next saturday@SanzarTRC#JugamosTodos 🏉#PersonalRugbyChampionship#ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/AX23h3ZMh1
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) October 4, 2018
