Preview: Argentina XV vs Brazil XV

The Argentina XV face the Brazil XV on neutral soil on Wednesday. The unique fixture is a round two match in the 2020 South American 4 Nations.

The Argentina XV were unconvincing winners on day one. This fact, in addition to rotation based on the scheduling appear to have shaped the side for game two. Ignacio Fernández Lobbe has made wholesale changes.

There are nine different starting players; and two further positional changes. Those retaining their spots are tight head prop Lucas Favre; lock Franco Molina; flanker Lautaro Bavaro; and center Tomás Cubilla. Martín Cancelliere moves from wing to fullback, while Javier Ortega Desio will play at the back of the scrum.

Ortega Desio moves from flanker; replacing the injured Bautista Pedemonte. Both Pedemonte and Leonel Oviedo were ruled out of the remainder of the competition with knee injuries.

The changes see opportunities. Francisco Minervino, and Ignacio Ruiz will join Favre in the front-row. They will have Federico Gutiérrez, and Molina behind them to lock the scrum. Santiago Ruiz will join Bavaro, and Ortega Desio to complete the starting forward formation.

In the backs Joaquín Pellandini and 10 Santiago Mare start in the halves. The double change also sees another play-maker at inside center. The match-winner from game one, Teo Castiglioni will play outside Mare. Los Pumas Sevens star, Matías Osadczuk joins and promising winger Leopoldo Herrera start out wide.

Brazilian Head Coach Fernando Portugal has all made changes. His side gave the Uruguay XV a solid contest in game one. For game two Portugal has opted for seven changes to the starting line-up. Five of the alterations come in the forwards.

Former captain Yan Rosetti returns to the side at hooker. He will join Leonardo Souza, and Matheus Rocha in the front-row. Rocha is the one front-rower who will start both matches. Teenager Gabriel Oliveira ears a start in the second-row. He will do so together with veteran Gabriel Paganini.

The back-three is entirely changed in one way or another. Devon Muller moves from the 7 to the 6 shirt. He will start together with Rafael Teixeira and Adrio Luiz. The trio is an all-together new looking back-row for Brazil.

The two remaining changes come at fly half and wing. Lucas Tranquez will start at pivot and Lorenzo Massari will do so on the left wing. The selection comes despot regulars Josh Reeves and Daniel Lima both being on the bench.

The Brazil XV enter the match as the underdogs. Some players have fresh legs; most do not. However, History shows that a win is not out of the reach of Os Tupis. The Argentina XV were underwhelming in game one. They will be looking to put that performance to rest against the Brazil XV. ARN projects an Argentina XV victory by 40 points.

 

TEAMS

ARGENTINA XV
1 Francisco Minervino, 2 Ignacio Ruiz, 3 Lucas Favre, 4 Federico Gutiérrez, 5 Franco Molina, 6 Lautaro Bavaro, 7 Santiago Ruiz, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 9 Joaquín Pellandini, 10 Santiago Mare, 11 Matías Osadczuk, 12 Teo Castiglioni, 13 Tomás Cubilla (capt.), 14 Leopoldo Herrera, 15 Martín Cancelliere

Replacements: 16 Martín Vaca, 17 Javier Díaz, 18 Estanislao Carullo, 19 Rodrigo Martínes, 20 Ramiro Tallone, 21 Lautaro Bazán Vélez, 22 Juan Pablo Castro, 23 Facundo Ferrario, 24 Mateo Carreras, 25 Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel, 26 Santiago Portillo

BRAZIL XV
1 Leonardo Souza, 2 Yan Rosetti, 3 Matheus Rocha, 4 Gabriel Oliveira, 5 Gabriel Paganini, 6 Devon Muller, 7 Rafael Teixeira, 8 Adrio Luiz, 9 Douglas Rauth, 10 Lucas Tranquez, 11 Lorenzo Massari, 12 Moisés Duque, 13 Felipe Sancery (capt.), 14 Robert Tenório, 15 Daniel Sancery

Replacements: 16 Lucas Abud, 17 Endy Pinheiro, 18 Henrique Ferreira, 19 Alexandre Alves, 20 Kauã Guimarães, 21 Josh Reeves, 22 Felipe Cunha, 23 Laurent Bourda-Couhet, 24 Daniel Lima, 25 Matheus Cruz, 26 Guilherme Dias

Date: Wednesday, October 21
Kick-Off: 5pm
Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
Referee: Frank Méndez (Chile)
Assistant Referees: Francisco González (Uruguay), Damián Schneider (Argentina)