Pumas team to play All Blacks

15 Martin Rodriguez,
14 Gonzalo Camacho,
13 Marcelo Bosch,
12 Santiago Fernandez,
11 Horacio Agulla,
10 Juan Martin Hernandez,
9 Nicolas Vergallo,
8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Captain),
7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon,
6 Julio Farias Cabello,
5 Patricio Albacete,
4 Manuel Carizza,
3 Juan Figallo,
2 Eusebio Guinazu,
1 Rodrigo Roncero

Argentina have named their Pumas team to play New Zealand’s All Blacks in Wellington this weekend with two changes to the team that drew with South Africa.
The most notable change is the return of Juan Martín Hernández at number 10 after he missed the match against the Springboks in Mendoza due to injury. Hernandez who scored all of Argentina’s points in their 27-6 opening loss to the Springboks in Cape Town replaces Nicolas Sanchez.
The other change to the starting team is Juan Manuel Leguizamon coming in to the starting line up and replacing Alvaro Galindo.
Leguizamon was sidelined by a stomach injury for Argentina’s first championship matches and his last Test appearance was when Argentina lost 33-10 to the All Blacks in the World Cup quarter-finals last year.
He forms part of an experienced Argentine forward pack which includes prop Rodrigo Roncero, lock Patricio Albacete and captain and backrower Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe.
Argentina coach Santiago Phelan will name his replacements bench closer to the match on Friday.

Good to see Hernandez back in there, let's hope that he kicks a little less and runs that ball a bit more. He really needs a run of games to get in to his stride too so no injuries!

Just out of interest why is the team selected so early anyone?

Looking forward to this match Argiefan, though I don’t hold too much hope for you guys. Interesting to see that Sir Ted has taken up a bigger role with Argentina and could possibly be sitting in the coach’s box come Sat night. I for one, am glad that he took on a greater challenge in Argentina, than perhaps going north to another country. I’d rather he was helping to bring on another team to being a world force than help out an established NH side. If his influence takes hold, Argentina could look to dominate a top 5 ranking in world rugby.

It looks a fairly strong Arg team on paper, but now they are getting used to the travelling demands of the toughest international rugby competition in the world. I can see them leaking a 30 pt diff with this AB side. That’s not to say I want that to happen, it just looks like no one is going to stop NZ this year, especially at home.

Woohoo Hernandez vs Carter! Would be worth the price of admission.

NZ's defence is really well drilled so in a sense, with Aussie being handled out wide, the physical approach would be the best bet to score tries anyway.

Expect NZ to flood the breakdown. SA didn't commit enough numbers and paid the price dearly. There may not be as many mismatches created but I'd still back NZ to get across the advantage line and cause damage out wide.

I don't think we'll get the bonus point though for some reason.

The bonus point depends on the start. Haven't been impressed with the starts against Australia. It'll take more to wear this Argentinian pack down so we have to press home our advantage in the backs. Get some front foot ball and work at finding space throughout the field and doing so at pace.

If Argentina can slow down AB ball and make it into a war of attrition, it won't be pretty and we'll make life difficult for us, let alone get a bonus point for four tries. I expect that will happen in the return leg. I don't want to see ourselves getting ahead of ourselves and not doing the basics right but I do want to see us running good lines and getting good, quick continuity in attack.

Still expecting a big win in this one.ABs are on a genuine roll and their annoyance at not scoring tries will goad them.

Argie have unfortunately done themselves no favour in taking the boks on as that's two weeks worth of free motivation that money just can't buy.

Ok to speculate, but the draw and our match against argie last year will demand argie are up to this as that's who the ABs will be expecting. I just don't think argie will maintain those levels leaving an unexpected number of holes, and dropping of heads at 60 minutes.

On both occasions argie held some surprise value. They don't this time.

Sorry, but don't see anything other than another one sided match.

Subs will be required judging by the weather forecast

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2179537

kingelderfield wrote:Subs will be required judging by the weather forecast

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2179537

Yeah hope not. Looking out over the stadium its beautifully fine here in Wellies...best day we've had in months I reckon...hope it continues...