Cheika makes 3 changes as Argentina ready for Samoa challenge

Los Pumas head coach Michael Cheika has named their team to face Samoa in Pool D's intriguing clash at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne on Friday, 22 September.

Experienced back Matías Moroni is one of just three changes to the starting XV despite the disappointing 27-10 loss against England in the opening round of the tournament.

In the forwards, Eduardo Bello comes into the front-row while Guido Petti into the second-row.

Moroni comes into the midfield, earning just his third start of 2023, after playing four of his six Tests of the bench. He is the only player to have played in all six tests this year for Los Pumas, despite only two of these caps coming in the run-on team.

ARGENTINA TEAM TO FACE SAMOA ON FRIDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER

1 Thomas Gallo

2 Julian Montoya (c)

3 Eduardo Bello

4 Guido Petti Pagadizabal

5 Matias Alemanno

6 Pablo Matera

7 Marcos Kremer

8 Juan Martin Gonzalez

9 Gonzalo Bertranou

10 Santiago Carreras

11 Mateo Carreras

12 Santiago Chocobares

13 Matías Moroni

14 Emiliano Boffelli

15 Juan Cruz Mallia

Replacements:

16 Agustín Creevy

17 Mayco Vivas

18 Francisco Gómez Kodela

19 Pedro Rubiolo

20 Rodrigo Bruni

21 Tomas Cubelli

22 Nicolas Sanchez

23 Lucio Cinti

If used off the bench, Agustín Creevy will move to second all-time in appearances alongside Felipe Contepomi and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe in his 17th Rugby World Cup match. Only Mario Ledesma Arocena has played more Rugby World Cup games for Los Pumas with 18 between 1999 and 2011.

Pablo Matera has started more tests for Argentina than any other player, earning 91 of his 96 caps in the starting XV. He generated much of Los Pumas' attack against England, with five defenders beaten, and 44 metres past the gain-line from the joint-most carries (11).

Nicolas Sanchez has played just 114 minutes of test rugby this season, and will earn his 99th test cap if used off the bench. He is Argentina’s most capped back-line player, and their all-time leading point-scorer (863).

Earlier, Samoa picked their team, also making just three changes, two up front and one out side, as big winger Ben Lam joins the team.

The competition table as it stands before the next round of matches: