Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi has been forced to select 10 uncapped players in a 34-man squad to face the Springboks and Wallabies next month. Los Pumas host the world champions in Buenos Aires next Saturday, before back-to-back home Tests against Australia on 29 August and 5 September. Joaquin Oviedo, Julian Montoya, Gonzalo Garcia, Justo Piccardo and Bautista Delguy are among the experienced names missing from the squad due to European club commitments.
In their absence, Contepomi has called up loose forwards Facundo Cardozo, Juan Martin Scelzo and Juan Penoucos, lock Franco Carrera, prop Francisco Moreno and hooker Leonel Oviedo as newcomers up front. The uncapped contingent extends to the backline too, with centre Benjamin Ordiz, wing Agustin Fraga and fullbacks Mateo Soler and Tobias Wade all in line for their first Test involvement. Argentina squad Forwards: Facundo Cardozo, Franco Carrera, Pedro Delgado, Efrain Elias, Benjamin Grondona, Tomas Lavanini, Rodrigo Martinez, Pablo Matera, Francisco Moreno, Joaquin Moro, Leonel Oviedo, Juan Penoucos, Guido Petti, Tomas Rapetti, Ignacio Ruiz, Juan Martin Scelzo, Mayco Vivas, Boris Wenger Backs: Simon Benitez Cruz, Gonzalo Bertranou, Santiago Carreras, Lucio Cinti, Agustin Fraga, Rodrigo Isgro, Ignacio Mendy, Matias Moroni, Agustin Moyano, Benjamin Ordiz, Santiago Pernas, Geronimo Prisciantelli, Nicolas Roger, Faustino Sanchez Valarolo, Mateo Soler, Tobias Wade This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za.
It is republished here with permission.
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