Argentina is the only team that can stop South Africa claiming the 2024 title but it has to win in Santiago.
Felipe Contepomi has confirmed the 23 players who will seek to beat the Springboks at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, on Saturday, September 21, in round five of the Visa Macro Rugby Championship.
In the first four rounds of the tournament, Los Pumas had two wins and two losses. On their tour of New Zealand, they won in Wellington by 38-30 and lost in Auckland by 10-42, while against the Wallabies at home the result was a 19-20 loss in La Plata and a 67-27 victory in Santa Fe.
Rassie Erasmus's men, meanwhile, come into this final stage of the Championship as the only unbeaten side in the tournament. They played the first two rounds against the Wallabies away from home and won 33-7 in Brisbane and 30-12 in Perth. Then it was time to welcome the All Blacks at home and it was there that the two-time world champions came into their own: they won 31-27 at the legendary Ellis Park in Johannesburg and 18-12 in Cape Town.
The only previous game for Los Pumas at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades was in 2022 against Scotland, where they won 34-31 and took the series against the Europeans. In that match, Ignacio Ruiz and Lautaro Bazán Vélez made their debut in the Albiceleste jersey.
Ignacio Ruiz has 13 caps and two tries with Los Pumas. He participated in the 2023 World Cup in France and so far in 2024 he has played in 6 matches (2 as a starter and 4 as a substitute).
Lautaro Bazán Vélez has 16 caps with the national team, he played in 6 of the 2023 World Cup in France and in 2024 he played in 3 games (1 as a starter and 2 coming off the bench).
The Pumas and Springboks have faced each other for a total of 36 matches, with a record of 3 wins for the national team, 32 losses and one draw. The last victory was in 2018 in Mendoza, when Los Pumas obtained the largest difference against the South Africans by 32-19. In the last two matches between them in 2023, Los Pumas fell at Ellis Park in Johannesburg by a tight 21-22, and in Vélez by 13-24.
Regarding The Rugby Championship, which began in 2012, they have played 19 times: 3 wins, 15 losses and 1 draw. The player with the most appearances is Pablo Matera with 17 and the player who has scored the most tries is Matías Moroni with four.
Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo and Joaquín Oviedo return to the starting XV, while If he takes to the field, Santiago Carreras will play for his 50th cap with Los Pumas.
The changes see a new second row combination with Pedro Rubiolo and Franco Molina replacing Tomas Lavanini and Guido Petti. The other change is in the back row where Joaquin Oviedo comes in for Juan Martin Gonzalez.
Pedro Delgado will be on the bench and could make his debut in a Los Pumas shirt.
Argentina team to play South Africa in Santiago:
1. GALLO , Thomas (30 caps)
2. MONTOYA , Julian (100 caps) Captain
3. SCLAVI , Joel (22 caps)
4. MOLINA , Franco (7 caps)
5. RUBIOLO , Pedro (15 caps)
6. MATERA , Pablo (105 caps) Vice-captain
7. KREMER, Marcos (71 caps)
8. OVIEDO , Joaquin (8 caps)
9. BERTRANOU , Gonzalo (64 chapters)
10. ALBORNOZ , Tomas (12 caps)
11. CARRERAS , Mateo (24 caps)
12. CHOCOBARES, Santiago (25 caps)
13. CINTI , Lucio (27 caps)
14. DELGUY , Bautista (29 chapters)
15. MALLÍA , Juan Cruz (37 caps) Vice-captain
Replacments:
16. RUIZ , Ignacio (13 caps)
17. CALLES , Ignacio (3 caps)
18. DELGADO , Pedro (0 caps)
19. PETTI , Guido (84 caps)
20. GONZALEZ , Juan Martin (35 caps)
21. GARCÍA, Gonzalo (6 caps)
22. CARRERAS , Santiago (49 caps)
23. MORONI , Matías (84 chapters)
