Phelan shakes up his Pumas
Argentinean head coach Santiago Phelan has made five changes to his team to face South Africa in their second Rugby Championship match of the season.
The Pumas will host the Springbok in Mendoza on Saturday, following their record (13-73) defeat to the Boks in Soweto last week.
In the front row Marcos Ayerza, who has recovered from his injury, will replace Matias Diaz. Ayerza will start at loosehead prop, with Juan Figallo moving to the tighthead position in what is a much more powerful front row – with Diaz dropping down to the replacement bench.
In the second row Mariano Galarza and Julio Farias Cabello take over from the injured duo of Patricio Albacete and Manuel Carizza – both who took heavy knocks in the Soweto hammering.
Phelan also made two changes to his backline.
Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino return at fullback in place of Juan Martin Hernandez, who failed to recover from the concussion he suffered last week.
In the final change to the starting XV Horacio Agulla replaces Juan Imhoff on the left wing.
This will be the 17th showdown between the Pumas and the Springboks, with the Boks have 15 of their previous encounters and Argentina earning a 16-all draw in the corresponding match last year.
Argentina: 15 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Felipe Contepomi (captain), 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Mariano Galarza, 4 Julio Farías Cabello, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guiñazú, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Nahuel Lobo, 18 Matías Díaz, 19 Tomas Lavaninni, 20 Benjamin Macome, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Santiago Fernández, 23 Juan Imhoff.
Date: Saturday, August 24
Venue: Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza
Kick-off: 16.10 (21.10 SA time; 19.10 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Pascal Gauzère (France)
TMO: Marshall Kilgore (Ireland)
