Moyano, Moroni and Lezana Return To Pumas XV
Argentina head coach Daniel Hourcade has made three changes to the team to play Ireland in the final match of the Pumas’ November tour at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm).
Ramiro Moyano and Matias Moroni return on the right wing and at outside centre respectively, with Sebastian Cancelliere, who scored the first try in Argentina’s 31-15 win over Italy last weekend, and Matias Orlando both making way.
The only change to the side the Pumas fielded in their 21-8 loss to England a fortnight ago is Nicolas Sanchez’s inclusion at out-half. He continues in the number 10 jersey this week with 74-cap veteran Juan Martin Hernandez nursing a knee injury from the Italy game.
Tomas Lezana comes back in at number 8 after flying home to Buenos Aires last week following the death of his grandmother. Juan Manuel Leguizamon drops back to the bench, with the all-Jaguares XV captained by hooker Agustin Creevy, one of 12 survivors from the Pumas’ matchday squad when they last met Ireland two years ago.
The seven retained starters from their memorable 43-20 Rugby World Cup quarter-final triumph over Ireland in Cardiff are Joaquin Tuculet, Moroni and half-backs Sanchez and Martin Landajo behind the scrum, along with skipper Creevy, lock Tomas Lavanini and flanker Pablo Matera.
Having ended a seven-match losing streak with that three-try success in Florence last time out, Pumas head coach Daniel Hourcade said: “(Ireland) are a totally different team (compared to 2015). They are one of the teams that has progressed most in the last three years. Ireland are a very hard team for you to break down, they have a very good scrum, very good set piece…probably one of the hardest teams to play in the world.
“We are disappointed we didn’t get an important win against any top team (in 2017), so it would be excellent to finish the season with a win against Ireland. But with Ireland it might not be so easy, they are playing well.”
ARGENTINA Team & Replacements (v Ireland, 2017 GUINNESS Series, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, November 25, kick-off 5.30pm):
Player/Club/Caps –
15. Joaquin Tuculet (Jaguares) 50
14. Ramiro Moyano (Jaguares) 19
13. Matias Moroni (Jaguares) 30
12. Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias (Jaguares) 37
11. Emiliano Boffelli (Jaguares) 10
10. Nicolas Sanchez (Jaguares) 61
9. Martin Landajo (Jaguares) 77
1. Santiago Garcia Botta (Jaguares) 21
2. Agustin Creevy (Jaguares) 70 (capt)
3. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Jaguares) 40
4. Matias Alemanno (Jaguares) 40
5. Tomas Lavanini (Jaguares) 37
6. Pablo Matera (Jaguares) 45
7. Marcos Kremer (Jaguares) 11
8. Tomas Lezana (Jaguares) 20
Replacements:
16. Julian Montoya (Jaguares) 40
17. Lucas Noguera (Jaguares) 42
18. Enrique Pieretto (Jaguares) 23
19. Guido Petti (Jaguares) 32
20. Juan Manuel Leguizamon (Jaguares) 81
21. Gonzalo Bertranou (Jaguares) 8
22. Jeronimo de la Fuente (Jaguares) 35
23. Sebastian Cancelliere (Hindu) 4