Three Changes For Argentina
Argentina head coach Santiago Phelan has made three changes, two of them in the backs, for their GUINNESS Series encounter with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 2.30pm).
Leicester Tigers clubman Horacio Agulla returns on the right wing, after missing Argentina’s tour outings against Italy and France.
Agulla takes the number 14 jersey from Gonzalo Camacho, while there is also a change at inside centre where Biarritz’s Marcelo Bosch replaces Santiago Fernandez, who filled the out-half berth when the Pumas lost 17-3 at Croke Park in November 2008.
The final alteration to the Pumas side that lost 15-9 to France in Montpellier sees flanker Julio Farias Cabello, a Test debutant against the French, come in for his first start at the expense of Miguel De Achaval.
Cabello is one of two Argentinian-based players in the starting line-ups, the other being flanker Gernaro Fessia from Cordoba.
Former Leinster out-half Felipe Contepomi captains the tourists from out-half, with the province’s summer signing, Mariano Galarza, a notable inclusion in the second row.
Prop Juan Figallo and winger Lucas Borges have been added to the replacements as Santiago Phelan’s men look to secure Argentina’s fourth win over Ireland in their last five meetings.
Previewing this weekend’s game, Pumas centre Gonzalo Tiesi said: “We have built up a rivalry with Ireland but we have the same against France – maybe it’s because they’re teams we’ve played a lot in the last few years.
“Every time we see each other again maybe we are thinking about the last time or what’s going to happen in the future.
“I played against Irish players several times, in the Heineken Cup quarter-final (Harlequins v Leinster) and when I was with London Irish, so I know them pretty well.
“A lot of the players have been playing at this level for a long time now. But they have brought in young players like (Stephen) Ferris and Rob Kearney. They have been playing for three or four years but they are still young.”
He added: “To finish (the tour) with a win is going to be very important to the team. It is going to be bring the team much more together, the unity and strength of the team is going to shine more.
“This game is very much like a final for us. This tour we separated into three parts. Italy was one tour, France was another tour and this was the last tour.
“I felt that the last 20 minutes of France was very good for us. If we can maintain that way of playing, that is going to be very positive.”
ARGENTINA Team & Replacements (v Ireland, 2010 GUINNESS Series, Aviva Stadium, Sunday, November 28, kick-off 2.30pm):
15. Martin Rodriguez (Stade Francais)
14. Horacio Agulla (Leicester Tigers)
13. Gonzalo Tiesi (Stade Francais)
12. Marcelo Bosch (Biarritz Olympique)
11. Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino (Leicester Tigers)
10. Felipe Contepomi (Toulon) (capt)
9. Nicolas Vergallo (Toulouse)
1. Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais)
2. Mario Ledesma (Clermont Auvergne)
3. Martin Scelzo (Clermont Auvergne)
4. Mariano Galarza (Leinster)
5. Patricio Albacete (Toulouse)
6. Genaro Fessia (Cordoba Athletic)
7. Julio Farias Cabello (Tucuman)
8. Juan Fernandez Lobbe (Toulon)
Replacements:
16. Agustin Creevy (Clermont Auvergne)
17. Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers)
18. Juan Figallo (Montpellier)
19. Santiago Guzman (Tucuman)
20. Alvaro Galindo (Racing Metro 92)
21. Alfredo Lalanne (London Irish)
22. Lucas Borges (Albi)