Flanker Matera To Lead Pumas For The First Time
Flanker Pablo Matera will captain Argentina for the first time when they kick off their European tour against Grand Slam champions Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening (kick-off 6.30pm).
Former hooker Mario Ledesma, who took the coaching reins in August after replacing Daniel Hourcade, makes five personnel changes to the team that lost 45-34 to Australia five weeks ago. The Pumas won two Rugby Championship games for the first time this year, defeating both South Africa (32-19) and Australia (23-19).
Bautista Delguy, who has scored four tries in his last seven appearances, replaces Matias Moroni on the right wing with Tomas Cubelli restored at scrum half. Guido Petti switches from the second row to openside, and Matias Alemanno pairs up with Tomás Lavanini in the engine room.
Hooker Agustin Creevy, the most experienced member of the squad with 80 caps, has been succeeded as captain by 25-year-old blindside Pablo Matera. Props Santiago Garcia Botta and Santiago Medrano complete the changes in an all-Jaguares starting XV.
Eight starters from last November’s 28-19 defeat to Ireland in Dublin are included – Emiliano Boffelli, Ramiro Moyano, Nicolás Sanchez, García Botta, Creevy, Alemanno, Lavanini and new skipper Matera – and there are two new caps on the bench in forwards Lucio Sordoni and Rodrigo Bruni.
ARGENTINA Team & Replacements (v Ireland, 2018 GUINNESS Series Test Match, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, November 10, kick-off 6.30pm):
Player/Club/Caps –
15. Emiliano Boffelli (Jaguares) 20
14. Bautista Delguy (Jaguares) 8
13. Matias Orlando (Jaguares) 34
12. Jerónimo de la Fuente (Jaguares) 43
11. Ramiro Moyano (Jaguares) 27
10. Nicolás Sánchez (Jaguares) 71
9. Tomás Cubelli (Jaguares) 67
1. Santiago García Botta (Jaguares) 30
2. Agustin Creevy (Jaguares) 80
3. Santiago Medrano (Jaguares) 8
4. Matías Alemanno (Jaguares) 50
5. Tomás Lavanini (Jaguares) 47
6. Pablo Matera (Jaguares) 55 (capt)
7. Guido Petti (Jaguares) 42
8. Javier Ortega Desio (Jaguares) 48
Replacements:
16. Julián Montoya (Jaguares) 48
17. Juan Pablo Zeiss (Jaguares) 3
18. Lucio Sordoni (Club Atlético del Rosario) *
19. Rodrigo Bruni (Club San Luis) *
20. Tomás Lezana (Jaguares) 27
21. Gonzalo Bertranou (Jaguares) 17
22. Joaquin Diaz Bonilla (Jaguares) 2
23. Matías Moroni (Jaguares) 37
* Denotes uncapped player