Albacete back to face All Blacks

Editor

The return of veteran lock Patricio Albacete is one of six changes to the Argentina team to face New Zealand in La Plata on Saturday.

The return of veteran lock Patricio Albacete is one of six changes to the Argentina team named on Monday to face New Zealand in Saturday's Rugby Championship clash in La Plata.

The 32-year-old Toulouse second row, who is Los Pumas' most capped lock with 53 Test under his belt, has missed most of the tournament after being forced off injured after just 15 minutes against South Africa in Soweto last month.

Coach Santiago Phelan has made one other change to his pack as Eusebio Guinazu replaces Agustin Creevy at hooker.

Amongst the backs, there is an all-new centre pairing as Marcelo Bosch and Santiago Fernandez replace Felipe Contepomi and Gonzalo Tiesi, who drops out of the matchday squad.

Martin Landajo starts ahead of Tomas Cubelli at scrum-half while Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino comes in for Horacio Agulla on the right wing

Argentina: 15 Juan Martin Hernandez, 14 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7 Pablo Matera, 6 Juan Fernandez Lobbe (captain), 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Julio Farias Cabello, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Nahuel Lobo, 18 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19 Mariano Galarza, 20 Benjamín Macome, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Felipe Contepomi, 23 Horacio Agulla.

Date: Saturday, September 28
Venue: Estadio Ciudad de la Plata
Kick-off: 19:40 local (22:40 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper