Contepomi back for Pumas

Felipe Contepomi argentina june 2012

Recalled: Felipe Contepomi


Veteran Felipe Contepomi has been recalled to Argentina's side for Saturday's clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

The 35-year-old sat out the Rugby Championship due to an agreement between the Argentinian Rugby Union (UAR) and his French club, Stade Francais, and was not named in Santiago Phelan's original touring squad.

However with Biarritz centre Marcelo Bosch unavailable due to his own club commitments this weekend, Contepomi comes back into Phelan's starting XV to win his 79th cap.

He is one of six changes and two positional switches from the defeat to Australia last time out.

Former Harlequins and Stade Francais centre Gonzalo Tiesi will make his first appearance since the 2011 World Cup, while fly-half Juan Martin Hernandez has been shifted to full-back.

Instead Bordeaux-Begles' Nicolas Sanchez has been preferred by coach Phelan in the number 10 role.

Lock Patricio Albacete is an injury absentee after suffering a fracture near his eye, with flanker Julio Farias Cabello moving into the second row to partner Manuel Carizza. Leonardo Senatore coming into the back row.

In the front row Leicester's Marcos Ayerza benefits from the retirement of Rodrigo Roncero and the absence of Gomez Kodela to start on the loosehead side of the scrum.

There is Aviva Premiership representation on the wing with Exeter Gonzalo Camacho selected to start, although Bath's Horacia Agulla has to make do with a seat on the bench.

Argentina: 15 Juan Martin Hernandez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Leonardo Senatore, 5 Julio Farias Cabello, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Bruno Postiglioni, 18 Juan Gomez, 19 Tomas Vallejos Cinalli, 20 Tomas Leonardi, 21 Nicolas Vergallo, 22 Horacio Agulla, 23 Joaquin Tuculet.

Date: Saturday, 10 November
Venue: Millennium Stadium
Kick-off: 14:30 GMT
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)

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