Coach Felipe Contepomi has made three changes to Argentina’s pack for Saturday’s match against the Springboks in Durban, with a 6-2 split on the bench.
Pablo Matera returns to the starting lineup at blindside flank after featuring off the bench against the Wallabies in Sydney, while Lucas Paulos and Franco Molina come into the second row.
Pedro Rubiolo and Guido Petti drop to the bench, where they’ll be joined by loose forward Juan Martín González.
The backline remains unchanged, with Santiago Carreras steering the side at flyhalf.
Contepomi has stacked his bench with six forwards and just two backs, a tactic designed to match the Springboks’ power game.
Flyhalf Tomás Albornoz is recalled to provide cover among the replacements.
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ARGENTINA – 15 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Rodrigo Isgró, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo García, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Lucas Paulos, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Mayco Vivas.
Bench: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Pedro Rubiolo, 21 Juan Martín González, 22 Simón Benítez Cruz, 23 Tomás Albornoz.
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Photo: Rodrigo Valle/Getty Images
