Scotland v Argentina - Teams and Prediction
PREVIEW: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend wants his side to build on the positive aspects of their 17-25 defeat to the All Blacks when they play Argentina at Murrayfield on Sunday.
The Scots fought back from 0-17 down to being level at 17-17 before New Zealand pulled away in the final 10 minutes.
Townsend has made just one change to his starting XV with Rory Darge taking over the openside flank position.
“I thought the players played really well, and to have that as your first game of the season with everybody available was a pleasant surprise,” Townsend said ahead of Sunday’s clash.
“Sometimes in that first game of the season, there’s a lack of cohesion early on in the game, but I thought we were right into the game, especially in attack.
“I think we just switched off in the first half in defence, but after that we defended well, so those players get the right to go again.
“They played well, and there’s the benefit of going with a settled team. With what we’ve learned in that game and another week of training, we’ll be a better team for that.
“So, the one change is Rory Darge being fully fit again. He’s had a couple of weeks training, he had those minutes off the bench and we feel having a genuine openside, someone who’s played a lot of Test matches in that position, he’s a vice-captain, it was right to bring him back in.”
There is still no place in the matchday squad for influential prop Zander Fagerson, who has been working his way back to full fitness after being sidelined since early April by a combination of calf and knee problems.
“Zander’s good, he’s good to go,” said the head coach. “We had to make a decision early in the week whether to risk him in this Test match or not.
“We made the decision not to play him. That’s partly due to how well D’arcy Rae and Elliot Millar Mills played last week.
“The nature of this Test match is obviously up against a quality side. We hadn’t yet seen what Zander had done in training [when naming the team earlier in the week], but he trained fully.
“He was back to his competitive, aggressive self yesterday. He’ll be available for selection next weekend.”
Players to watch
For Scotland: Rory Darge has been recalled at openside flank in the only change to the Scotland starting side for Sunday’s clash. Inspirational playmaker Finn Russell keeps his place at flyhalf after being substituted with knee and ankle issues in the closing stages of the defeat by the All Blacks. Joint-record try-scorer Duhan van der Merwe is named on the bench after being dropped from the squad entirely last weekend, with Scotland coach Gregor Townsend reverting to a 5-3 split between forwards and backs after going 6-2 against the All Blacks.
For Argentina: Santiago Carreras has been dropped to the bench, with coach Felipe Contepomi making five changes to the starting XV that overwhelmed Wales last weekend. Carreras was on target with all eight of his goal-kicks as Argentina enjoyed a record 52-28 win against Wales in Cardiff. But such is the Pumas’ strength in depth, the Bath star has been replaced at full-back by Juan Cruz Mallia. Elsewhere in the backline, Rodrigo Isgro replaces Bautista Delguy on the right wing, and Matias Moroni comes in for Justo Piccardo at outside centre. In the pack, Pedro Rubiolo starts in the second row in place of Marcos Kremer.
Prediction
Rugby365: Scotland by four points.
Teams:
Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Josh Bayliss, 20 Matt Fagerson, 21 Jamie Dobie, 22 Tom Jordan, 23 Duhan van der Merwe.
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 9 Simon Benitez Cruz, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 6 Santiago Grondona, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Pedro Delgado, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Mayco Vivas.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Efrain Elias, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Justo Piccardo.
Date: Sunday, November 16
Venue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 15.10 (12.10 ART; 15.10 GMT)
Expected weather: It will be chilly with light winds.
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
PA & AFP
