Pumas' rookies left to face All Blacks
Six players are in line to make their Rugby Championship debut when Argentina face New Zealand in the tournament opener in Christchurch on Friday.
Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade, in confirming the 28 players that will feature in the build-up to the All Black Test, omitted four regular players – including backline star Juan Martín Hernández.
Others who were part of the expanded Argentinean Rugby Championship squad but will not feature in Christchurch are Gonzalo Camacho, Felipe Ezcurra, Juan Figallo, Santiago Iglesias Valdez, Tomás Lavanini, Tomás Lezana, Pablo Matera and Leonardo Senatore.
As a result players like Julian Montoya, Guido Pagadizabal Petti, Facundo Isa, Matías Moroni, Santiago Cordero and Juan Pablo Socino could potentially make their Rugby Championship debut against the Kiwis.
"We have a customized plan," Hourcade said about keeping some of his big guns out of the firing line against the All Blacks.
He said it is all part of the build-up to the World Cup.
The Pumas will be participating in the Rugby Championship for the fourth time, having won just once – beating Australia 21-17 in Mendoza in October last year.
"In this Rugby Championship we seek to add to that victory," the Pumas coach said, adding: "We have to put all our focus into every game, because we play against teams of the highest calibre.
"The tournament also serves as preparation for the World Cup, but the main focus is the Rugby Championship," the coach added.
Pumas back row forward Juan Leguizamón said beating the All Blacks for the first time would be a massive boost for his country.
The 32-year-old has just moved back to South America after a decade playing for clubs in England and France.
He is hoping to sign for the new Buenos Aires-based franchise, which will make its Super Rugby debut in 2016.
The Pumas have never beaten the All Blacks in 20 Tests and Leguizamón said a win over the New Zealanders would "probably be the biggest thing, in rugby terms" in Argentina's history.
"We know how hard it is," he said, adding: "I will never say 'impossible', but we know that we must be perfect in that game."
Argentina: Horacio Agulla, Matías Alemanno, Marcos Ayerza, Marcelo Bosch, Manuel Carizza, Santiago Cordero, Agustín Creevy, Tomás Cubelli, Jerónimo De la Fuente, Matías Díaz, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, Lucas González Amorosino, Santiago González Iglesias, Ramiro Herrera, Juan Imhoff, Facundo Isa, Martín Landajo, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Benjamin Macome, Julián Montoya, Matías Moroni, Lucas Noguera, Javier Ortega Desio, Guido Petti Pagadizabal, Nicolás Sánchez, Juan Pablo Socino, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Joaquín Tuculet.
