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Argentina Make 13 Changes For South Africa Test In Buenos Aires

Suspension of Tomás Albornoz plus European club absences create a test of Argentina's depth.

Overview

  • Coach Felipe Contepomi named a 23-man matchday squad that features 13 changes to the side that last played, with Pablo Matera appointed captain.
  • Santiago Carreras moves to start at flyhalf after Tomás Albornoz was reported to be serving a four-match ban, a shift that reshapes Argentina's halfback pairing.
  • Four uncapped players were included in the matchday 23, with tighthead Francisco Moreno starting and Leonel Oviedo, Juan Penoucos and Juan Martín Scelzo named on the bench.
  • Several regulars, including hooker Julián Montoya and No. 8 Joaquín Oviedo, are absent because they have returned to European clubs for preseason or are injured, prompting the large turnover.
  • The selections, made for Saturday's one-off Test against four-time world champions South Africa, give Argentina a chance to evaluate new players and combinations ahead of higher-stakes fixtures.