Selection shake-up for Los Pumas
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: It is all change for Argentina as they prepare to face the Barbarians in their final match of the year at Twickenham on Saturday.
Los Pumas coach Mario Ledesma made 10 changes to his starting XV for the traditional year-end encounter with the BaaBaas.
Newcomers to the forward pack – in the wake of their 9-14 loss to Scotland last week – are prop Juan Pablo Zeiss, hooker Julian Montoya, lock Matias Alemanno and flank Tomas Lezana.
Those dropping out of the starting pack are loose forward Javier Ortega Desio, lock Tomas Lavanini, veteran hooker Agustin Creevy and prop Santiago Garcia Botta.
The only backline player from the loss to the Scots to retain his place is left wing Ramiro Moyano – who holds a top 10 place on the RugbyPass Index.
The inclusion of backline players like Bautista Ezcurra, Matías Orlando, Sebastián Cancelliere and Juan Cruz Mallía – the latter, with a lowly RugbyPass Index of #117, will make his first start for Los Pumas.
The team will again be captained by highly-rated loose forward Pablo Matera.
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 7 Tomas Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera (captain), 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Julian Montoya, 1 Juan Pablo Zeiss.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Tomas Lavanini, 20 Santiago Grondona, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 23 Santiago Carreras.
Date: Saturday, December 1
Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London
Kick-off: 14.30 (14.30 GMT; 11.30 Argentina time)
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
➡️ AHORA ⬅️
| Ventana de noviembre |
Así forman Los Pumas frente a @Barbarian_FC el sábado, en el cierre de la gira.#JugamosTodos 🏉 pic.twitter.com/UUP2oltFED
ADVERTISEMENT— Los Pumas (@lospumas) November 29, 2018
