Los Pumas forced into changes
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Argentina coach Mario Ledesma has made five changes to the starting XV for the last Rugby Championship match of the season against Australia on Saturday.
Argentina have had a very troubling Rugby Championship season, losing all five matches in 2021.
Off-field is not any better.
Argentina were recently snubbed from a promotional photo and video shoot featuring the Wallabies, South African and New Zealand captains.
The shoot left Ledemsma furious and said he felt disrespected by SANZAAR.
To make things worst six players, including world-class flank Pablo Matera, are stuck in New South Wales after a border breach will remain there and miss Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash with the Wallabies on the Gold Coast.
The recent developments mean Ledesma was forced to switch up his team. Matias Moroni replaces Santiago Cordero at wing as the only change in the backline.
The rest of the changes is in the pack. Rodrigo Bruni will don the No.8 jersey in place of Matera.
In the second row, Guido Petti replaces Matias Alemanno at lock.
There is also a new-looking front row with prop duo Enrique Pieretto and Rodrigo Martinez joining hooker Julian Montoya.
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Rodrigo Martinez.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Francisco Gorrissen, 21 Gonzalo Garcia, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Mateo Carreras.
Date: Saturday, October 2
Venue: Robina Stadium, Gold Coast
Kick-off: 17.05 (04.05 ART; 07.05 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (RSA)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (AUS), Reuben Keane (AUS)
TMO: Brett Cronan (AUS)
