(Reuters) – Scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli has returned to the Argentina lineup as coach Mario Ledesma named his side to take on France in their autumn international test in Paris on Saturday.
The team features eight changes from their final match of the Rugby Championship where they lost 32-17 to Australia in Townsville last month.
Cubelli, who will play his 80th test, missed that tournament because of a hand injury but returns to partner Santiago Carreras in the half-back pairing.
Loose forward Facundo Isa and backline players Jeronimo De La Fuente and Bautista Delguy are also back after injury, while the influential Pablo Matera has been restored to the side after missing the last test having violated COVID-19 regulations in Australia.
Mateo Carreras gets a first start on the wing and Thomas Gallo at loose head prop. Gallo came on and scored two tries as a replacement in Argentina’s last outing.
Argentina have been hit with the loss of four players for the autumn international series with second-rower Matias Alemanno, number eight Rodrigo Bruni, prop Facundo Gigena and fullback Juan Cruz Mallia all ruled out because of injury.
After the test in Paris, they will take on Italy in Treviso on Nov. 13 and conclude their tour against Ireland in Dublin on Nov. 21.
Team: 15-Emiliano Boffelli, 14-Bautista Delguy, 13-Matías Moroni, 12-Jeronimo De La Fuente, 11-Mateo Carreras, 10-Santiago Carreras, 9-Tomas Cubelli, 8-Facundo Isa, 7-Marcos Kremer, 6-Pablo Matera, 5-Tomas Lavanini, 4-Guido Petti, 3-Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2-Julian Montoya (captain), 1-Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16-Facundo Bosch, 17-Rodrigo Martinez, 18-Santiago Medrano, 19-Lucas Paulos, 20-Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21-Gonzalo Bertranou, 22-Nicolas Sanchez, 23-Lucio Cinti.
