Argentina team v Australia: Felipe Contepomi rewards Springboks performance as unchanged XV named
Pablo Matera (right) leads an unchanged starting XV for Argentina this weekend.
Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi has named an unchanged starting XV from the side that lost 17-10 to the Springboks to take on the Wallabies this weekend.
The clash at Estadio 23 de Agosto marks the start of a two-Test series between Los Pumas and the Wallabies, and both sides come into it off the back of improved performances from the Nations Championship.
Argentina name unchanged XV from Springboks defeat as Contepomi reverts to 5:3 split
Gerónimo Prisciantelli gets the nod at full-back, with Rodrigo Isgró and Ignacio Mendy named on the wings. Lucio Cinti and Faustino Sánchez Valarolo continue in the centres, while Santi Carreras and Simón Benítez Cruz feature in the halves.
Joaquín Moro and Benjamín Grondona start alongside Los Pumas captain Pablo Matera in the back-row, while Tomás Lavanini and Guido Petti form the lock pairing.
Francisco Moreno, Ignacio Ruiz and Boris Wenger are named in the front-row.
While the head coach has kept the run-on group intact, Contepomi has made some alterations to his bench in the form of a 5:3 split.
Leonel Oviedo, Tomas Rapetti, Efrain Elias and Juan Penoucos all retain their places on the replacements list, while prop Rodrigo Martinez and Nicolas Roger are promoted into the extended squad.
Argentina team v Australia in full
Argentina: 15 Gerónimo Prisciantelli, 14 Rodrigo Isgró, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, 11 Ignacio Mendy, 10 Santi Carreras, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz, 8 Joaquín Moro, 7 Benjamín Grondona, 6 Pablo Matera (c), 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Francisco Moreno, 2 Ignacio Ruiz, 1 Boris Wenger
Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Rodrigo Martinez, 18 Tomas Rapetti, 19 Efrain Elias, 20 Juan Penoucos, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Nicolas Roger, 23 Matias Moroni
Venue: Estadio 23 de Agosto, San Salvador de Jujuy
Kick-off: 16:00 (local, Argentina) 20:00 (UK and Ireland), 21:00 (South Africa), 05:00 (Sunday, AEST), 07:00 (Sunday, New Zealand), 03:00 (Sunday, Japan)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referees: James Doleman (NZR), Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZR)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZR)
