The Argentinian team to face South Africa at Newlands on Saturday has been announced, with an experienced team chosen to take on the Boks. The team will be led by eighthman Juan Martin Hernandez Lobbe, while Juan Martin Hernandez takes up the flyhalf role for the first time in three years.
Sport24.com reports that Lobbe takes over the captaincy from Felipe Contepomi, who has made himself unavailable for this tournament. The team is made up of players plying their trade in Europe, with only one player, Julio Farias Cabello, playing in Argentina.
Hooker Eusebio Guinazu’ name should ring a bell to the Newlands faithful, as he is an ex-Boland player, which made him eligible for the Stormers, but never really got a crack at starting for the Cape franchise, leaving the 114kg fornt rower on the bench.
12 of the players named to run onto the park on Saturday took part in the Rugby World Cup last year.
Argentina: 15 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 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 Alvaro Galindo, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero
Substitutes: 16 Bruno Postiglioni, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19 Tomas Leonardi, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Martin Rodriguez
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I am so excited to play these guys. Very happy to see them part of the rugby championship and glad that we are the first to tale a shot at them.
I must be honest but there is not a lot of names that ring any bells for me. I suppose we will get to know these players much better over the coming weeks.
BTW, did any of these guys play in the vodacom cup?
@Viking (Comment 3) :
If you read the article, you will see that 14 of the starting 15 play in Europe, meaning they did not take part in Vodacom Cup.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) : But there is 22 players named
I guess the answer is still none.
Decent side this. A bit thin at centre with the unavailability of Contepomi, but Rodriguez should strengthen that considerably in the 2nd half. Hooker and scrumhalf also a bit of a concern.
i now have 2 teams i support in the championship, Argentina and RSA. Go Bokke!!!
Another ex-Shark playing international rugby – Juan Martin Hernandez – against Boks.