Argentina make nine changes and name Montoya as captain

Michael Cheika has shaken up his Argentina team for Saturday’s Rugby Championship game at home to Australia, making nine changes from the XV that started the series-clinching win last month against Scotland and handing the recalled Julian Montoya the captaincy.

The Australian enjoyed a successful July start to his tenure as new Pumas boss, guiding them to a 2-1 series success versus the Scots with a dramatic comeback sealed by a last-gasp Emiliano Boffelli try.

Scotland had been 15 points ahead with half an hour remaining in that third Test encounter and Cheika has now taken action following that performance as the game-saving Boffelli is one of just six players to retain their starting spot in the latest Argentina team.

Six changes are in the Argentina pack where Montoya, a starter in the first two games versus Scotland before missing out with a bad back, returns in place of the benched veteran, Agustin Creevy. He also retakes the captaincy from Pablo Matera.

Fellow forwards Thomas Gallo, Joel Sclavi, Guido Petti, Santiago Grondona and Facundo Isa have all lost their respective starting spots to Manuel Tetaz Chaparro, Francisco Gomez, Matias Alemanno, Juan Martin Gonzalez Samso and Marcos Kremer.

In the backs, Tomas Cubelli has been named to start at scrum-half in place of Lautaro Bazan Velez, Jeronimo de la Fuente is in at inside centre for Matias Moroni and Santiago Cordero is named at right wing instead of Bautista Delguy.