Young pivot preferred to Sanchez for Pumas' France Test
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Gloucester’s Santiago Carreras will start at flyhalf instead of Nicolas Sanchez for this weekend’s Test with France, the Argentina Rugby Federation announced on Thursday.
Carreras, 23, has started just three internationals in the No.10 shirt but deputises for Stade Francais’ Sanchez who is named on the bench after suffering a shoulder problem in last weekend’s Top 14 loss.
The former Jaguares playmaker is joined at halfback for Saturday’s game by experienced 32-year-old Tomas Cubelli, who missed The Rugby Championship with a hand injury.
Biarritz’ Cubelli is one of eight changes made by head coach Mario Ledesma from October 2’s loss to Australia.
Tighthead prop Thomas Gallo and left wing Mateo Carreras, flyhalf Santiago’s brother, make their first Test starts.
Eleven members of the matchday squad play their club rugby in France including the Parisian pair of Sanchez and flank Marcos Kremer.
Los Pumas head to Italy next weekend before finishing their end of year tour against Ireland on November 21.
Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Facundo Isa, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Rodrigo Martinez, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Lucas Paulos, 20 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Nicolas Sanchez, 23 Lucio Cinti.
Date: Saturday, November 6
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 21.00 (20.00 GMT; 17.00 ART)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Christophe Ridley (England)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
