Ready to do battle, the Pumas set off under the leadership of coach Michael Cheika.
The appointment is made this Saturday, July 8 in Mendoza, for a confrontation against the All Blacks which will mark the inauguration of the Rugby Championship. This being the year of the World Cup, the Rugby Championship tournament is of particular importance: it will be an opportunity for the teams to make their final adjustments before the big meeting.
A stable team ready to take up the challenge
In this context, the Pumas do not foresee any major upheavals. They will essentially retain the same roster as when they last performed almost eight months ago in Scotland. Among the holders, we will find Emiliano Boffelli, the only player to have ensured a constant presence under the direction of Cheika, as well as Santiago Carreras, Matías Moroni and Juan Martín González, all three actors of the 12 tests-matches of 2022.
After a 32-month absence, we will also see the return of Lucio Sordoni to the national team. In addition, this match will mark a turning point for Gonzalo Bertranou who will reach 50 caps with the Argentine team, a privilege enjoyed by only 42 players among the 887 who have played a test with the Pumas since 1910.
Team composition and kick-off
The kick-off of the match against the All Blacks is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Here is the composition of the Pumas team for the match:
Holders :
- GALLO, Thomas (13 caps)
- MONTOYA, Julián (captain; 85 caps)
- SORDONI, Lucio (3 caps)
- ALEMANNO, Matías (84 caps)
- LAVANINI, Thomas (78 caps)
- MATERA, Pablo (91 caps)
- GONZÁLEZ, Juan Martín (20 heads)
- BRUNI, Rodrigo (18 caps)
- BERTRANOU, Gonzalo (49 caps)
- RACES, Santiago (31 caps)
- CARRERAS, Mateo (7 caps)
- CINTI, Lucio (12 caps)
- MORONI, Matías (69 caps)
- DELGUY, Bautista (25 caps)
- BOFFELLI, Emiliano (50 caps)
Substitutes :
- CREEVY, Augustine (97 caps)
- LIVE, Mayco (17 caps)
- BELLO, Eduardo (10 caps)
- RUBIOLO, Pedro (1 head)
- GRONDONA, Santiago (10 caps)
- BAZÁN VÉLEZ, Lautaro (3 caps)
- SÁNCHEZ, Nicolás (95 caps)
- ORLANDO, Matías (57 caps)
History of Pumas in the Rugby Championship
In terms of performance, the Pumas have played 58 matches in the Rugby Championship, winning 8, conceding 2 draws and suffering 48 defeats. Against New Zealand, the Argentine team played 20 games, won 2 and suffered 18 losses.
Argentina’s records against New Zealand
Next Saturday’s game will be an opportunity to set new records. To date, the most capped players in Argentina’s ties with New Zealand are Nicolás Sánchez with 15 games and 115 points for the Pumas, and Beauden Barrett also with 15 games and 94 points for the All Blacks. Other notable players include Agustín Creevy and Brodie Retallick with 14 games, as well as Pablo Matera and Tomás Cubelli with 13 games. Emiliano Boffelli is also to be followed closely with his 60 points scored.
New Zealand players to watch include Julian Savea with 45 points and 9 tries, Richie Mo’unga with 40 points, Ben Smith with 30 points and 6 tries, and TJ Perenara with 25 points and 5 tries.
The clash between the Pumas and the All Blacks therefore promises to be exciting, with well-prepared teams and players ready to break new records. See you this Saturday in Mendoza for a match that promises to be intense and rich in emotions.
2023-07-07 06:57:23
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