Santiago Phelan names Argentina’s full strength squad for World Cup warm-up match against Wales
The Argentinean national Rugby Union team, commonly known as Los Pumas, has announced their match day 22 for the upcoming pre-World Cup match against Wales. The European team will host the
Pumas at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Saturday, August 20.
Pumas head coach, Santiago Phelan, announced his full strength squad on Tuesday, August 16. The squad marks the return of several senior Argentinean players, who missed Pumas June 6 encounter
against the South America select side.
Six players will mark their return to the national side in the Pumas starting line-up for Saturday’s fixture against Wales. Most of these players play their professional rugby in French Top
14 outfits.
This will be Pumas first and Wales third warm-up match. Wales earlier has played a two match series against the England, with both teams sharing a win apiece.
Returning players include, Rodrigo Roncero, Mario Ledesma, Patricio Albacete, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, and Felipe Contepomi. The return of these players brings the
total number of French Top 14 players in the squad to 12.
Stade Francais front row forward Rodrigo Roncero will start the match as the prop, while his club and Pumas team-mate Felipe Contepomi will start the match as the fly half.
Contepomi ranked amongst the best fly halves of the world, will also lead the Pumas in the Saturday’s match and their 2011 RWC campaign.
Toulouse’s utility forward, Patricio Albacete, will start the match at the lock position, while Mario Ledesma will start the match at the hooker position.
The return of the back row duo of Juan Manuel Leguizamon and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe in the Pumas lineup has strengthened their scrum. Leguizamon and Lobbe will start the match at number
eight and flanker position respectively.
Argentina will play their final pre world cup warm up preparation match against the 2011/12 Aviva Premiership new entrants, the Worcester Warriors on Tuesday, August 13 at Sixways Stadium.
Pumas line-up
Starting XV: 15. Martin Rodriguez (Stade Francais/FRA), 14. Horacio Agulla (Leicester Tigers/ENG), 13. Marcelo Bosch (Biarritz/FRA), 12.Santiago Fernandez (Montpellier/FRA), 11. Gonzalo Camacho
(Exeter/ENG), 10. Felipe Contepomi (Stade Francais/FRA, capt), 09. Nicolas Vergallo (Toulouse/FRA), 08. Juan Manuel Leguizamon (Lyon/FRA), 07. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Toulon/FRA), 06. Julio Alfredo Farias Cabello (Tucuman RC), 05.Patricio Albacete (Toulouse/FRA),
04. Manuel Carizza (Biarritz/FRA), 03. Juan Figallo (Montpellier/FRA), 02. Mario Ledesma (no club), 01. Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais/FRA).
Replacements: 16. Agustin Creevy (Montpellier/FRA), 17. Martin Scelzo (Agen/FRA), 18. Mariano Galarza (Pampas XV), 19. Alejandro Campos (Agen/FRA), 20. Alfredo Lalanne (London Irish/ENG), 21.
Federico Sanches (Bordeaux Begles/FRA), 22. Juan Jose Imhoff (Duendes RC Rosario).
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