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Argentina change two backs and include uncapped forward on bench

(Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)

Michael Cheika has made two changes to his Argentina team for this Saturday’s Rugby Championship finale versus the Springboks in Durban. The Pumas had their hopes of winning a first-ever TRC title extinguished by last weekend’s defeat to South Africa in Buenos Aires and the reaction to the 36-20 loss has been felt in the backline as the starting pack will remain unchanged.

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Argentina, on this occasion, have opted to start with Juan Imhoff on the left wing in place of Lucio Cinti while Matias Moroni – a try-scoring sub in round five – is promoted from the bench by Cheika to take over from Matias Orlando in the midfield. Both Cinti and Orlando have been excluded from the match day 23.

As regards the replacements, Argentina have made three alterations for their round six match with the Springboks. Mayco Vivas is named as replacement loosehead in place of last week’s sub Thomas Gallo, the uncapped Pedro Rubiolo takes over the back row cover role from Rodrigo Bruni while Bautista Delguy is at No23 following Moroni’s elevation into the starting line-up.

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The Springboks also limited the changes to their starting line-up to two when they unveiled their selection earlier this week, but they reconfigured their bench cover by opting to go with six forwards and just two backs as they look to pip the All Blacks to the title.

Argentina (vs South Africa, Saturday)
15. Juan Cruz Mallia; 14. Emiliano Boffelli, 13. Matias Moroni, 12. Jeronimo de la Fuenta; 11. Juan Imhoff; 10. Santiago Carreras, 9. Gonzalo Bertranou; 8. Pablo Matera, 7. Marcos Kremer, 6. Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5. Tomas Lavanini, 4. Matias Alemanno, 3. Eduardo Bello, 2. Julian Montoya (capt), 1. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Replacements: 16. Agustin Creevy, 17. Mayco Vivas, 18. Joel Sclavi, 19. Guido Petti, 20. Pedro Rubiolo, 21. Tomas Cubelli, 22. Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23. Bautista Delguy.

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t
takata 22 minutes ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

If you have ever been involved with a rugby team you will know that those 2-3 week rest periods do not matter. Yes the body recharges temporarily but the battery runs down again real quick with 25-30 games already embedded in it.

Bullshit!

In fact those very few weeks do absolutely matter when the alternative is no break at all from a long serie of very high intensity games (including the intense emotional drain for all those involved), with no preparation at all for the next test match after a big travel at the other end of the world. And It’s not like they would have to start a brand new season as they will only add a couple of games to their total - hence the chance of those rested players being injured is seriously reduced vs the alternative.


The period of May-June is the crux of their entire season for those playing the play off in Top 14 and the Champions Cup. As you probably know, it’s very difficult to come down from there (or your “credentials” as a rugby analyst were certainly usurped). It’s also in contradiction with your main point of comparison between the English tour of 2014 and the French one of 2025 (and all those before since a couple of decade).


And this is the truly ridiculous part. Teams only get better by developing connections and understandings in their sub-units and that means familiarity. Playing in the company of the same bloke next to you.

Part of the job for an “analyst” is to analyse, right? Not to look at stuff like if there was only one way of proceeding and to discard anything else with a lot of arrogance. You probably weren’t very succesfull at this job, I guess.


Then you should have certainly already analysed that, from the start of his tenure, Galthié always used both “Test” windows to test as many players and as many things as he likes; there is no pressure put on him to win during those “friendlies”. The November serie is a test bed for the future 6 Nations team and the summer serie was always used for keeping fringe players involved with the main group (old and new ones). Lots of good things for the main team came from this way of operating. Maybe he’ll finally be rewarded one day at the WC, or his successor in the future. I don’t mind waiting.


He already gave us many good games to watch and there is a lot of talent comming thru the system.

51 Go to comments
t
takata 1 hour ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

At one point, there was up to 56 rugby clubs competing in the French “first division” which roughly represented as many as the actual four tiers combined: Top 14 + Pro D2 + Nationale 1 & 2.


As “Elite” rugby went down from 56 to 40 to 24 to 16 before finally reaching 14 in 2005, the continuous infighting was absolutely ugly in order to reach such a low level and many “historical” clubs were axed from the top tier in the process. Those left behind knew they would have very little chance to ever come back, considering the financial gap it represent now between budget, staff and infrastructure.


Let’s say that two more clubs would be axed from the championship: it would have a very deep repercussion on the whole structure. Pro D2 would now have too many teams and would have to be reduced; then lower tiers too, etc. The promotion/relegation system would have to be changed (actually 2 clubs might get relegated each season: 1 sure and 50-50 for the other); this will also imply lower chance to get promoted to top tier.


I don’t think that French club rugby would be ready any time soon for another open warfare once something looking like peace was finally settled. In fact, it would take a very deep crisis menacing the championship for it to be reorganised… and playing the AB, or anyone else, with a development team on summer tour doesn’t count as a crisis because it’s usual business since 20 years.


Between changing a working championship or losing a few World Rugby ranking points, the FFR, LNR, players and public will all chose the championship over the rankings.

51 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c8xg59e0rq8o


From this article at least, it sounds more like ‘in addition to’ rather than ‘in place of’…. Which if true would be disturbing.

51 Go to comments
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LONG READ Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand? Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?
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