Argentina name matchday squad for South Africa clash
Mario Ledesma will be hoping to kick-start Rugby Championship with a win
©Steve Haag
Argentina head coach Mario Ledesma has unveiled the matchday squad for the Rugby Championship opening game against South Africa to be played in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The only change Ledesma made from the side that defeated Wales 33-11 last month at Principality Stadium. Felipe Ezcurra comes at scrum-half replacing Tomas Cubelli forming halfback partnership with Nicolas Sanchez.
There were also changes in the bench with Carlos Muzzio, Gonzalo Bertranou and Sebastian Cancelliere.
Ledesma is expecting a tough challenge from South Africa, who will be brimming with confidence following a 2-1 series with the British and Irish Lions.
“South Africa is South Africa, they have an identity that is really strong. A team that is world champions and just won the series against the British & Irish Lions,” he said.
“They are doing their thing very well. It is very subjective to talk about what is boring or not.”
Argentina starting XV: 15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Santiago Chocobares, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Matías Moroni, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Felipe Ezcurra, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 7 Facundo Isa, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Marcos Kremer, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Francisco Gómez Kodela, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Reserves: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Carlos Muzzio, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Matías Alemanno, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Sebastian Cancelliere
