Felipe Contepomi has made three changes to the Argentina side that beat Italy 50-18 for Friday night’s game against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium (8.10pm).
Matias Moroni, who started on the bench in Rome, is promoted to the run-on team at centre, alongside Lucio Cinti. The experienced Guido Petti is recalled to the secondrow in place of Franco Molina, while another familiar face, Pablo Matera, has served a suspension incurred in the Rugby Championship and returns to the backrow.
Santiago Gronona moves to the replacements as does Molina, while further changes to the bench see Santiago Carreras and Justo Picardo promoted as backline cover. Connacht’s Santiago Cordero, a replacement the last day, is not included in the matchday 23.
Contepomi said: “No, he’s (Cordero) not injured, actually he’s in great form. Yes, there are a few changes but that’s because these guys compete really hard with each other throughout the week and we always try to field the best 23 that we think out of this group of 32 can represent us the best.
“In this case Santi didn’t make it. He had a great game last weekend and we know we can count on him and he’s really training really well, but we made other selections, it’s more tactical around strategy, Santi Carreras has come back, and we think he can give us something from the bench.”
Contepomi was asked what strengths he saw in Ireland and while he initially suggested he wasn’t going to talk them up he smiled: “I think it is the cohesion. Many of those players are very used to playing together all year in Leinster. I think they have, I don’t know, from the 23, I dare to say that 15 or 16 will be from Leinster, which is a very large number.
“And although they don’t play exactly the same as what Leinster plays, it is similar, so they know each other well and that helps. But nothing, the era after Johnny (Sexton), obviously, a player of that size leaves a gap.
“But I think they have it totally covered in the good sense, right? With (Jack) Crowley, with, well, in this case they are not (going with Ross) Byrne, but with (Ciarán) Frawley. And (Sam) Prendergast also has it, who is a young man that I know from Leinster.
“Knowing that we are going to play against a team (Ireland) that in the last six or seven years has been among the best teams in the world consistently, it is a huge challenge, (and) a great opportunity for the team.”
The Pumas head coach said of his decision to play Matias Moroni out of position in the centre: “Well, first of all, (Moroni) obviously brings experience, he has more than 90 international games. He is not a natural 12, but he has already played many times in that position, and we are convinced that he can play the role that we need.”
ARGENTINA: Juan Cruz Mallia; Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Matias Moroni, Bautista Delguy; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Bertranou; Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya, Joel Sclavi; Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo; Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Joaquin Oviedo.
Replacements: Ignacio Ruiz, Ignacio Calles, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Franco Molina, Santiago Grondona, Gonzalo Garcia, Santiago Carreras, Justo Picardo.
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