Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade has named an unchanged team for only the second time in his three years in charge to face Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday.
Hourcade stuck with the team that lost 24-20 to Wales in Cardiff last weekend with flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez set to win his 50th international cap.
The only other time Hourcade named an unchanged team, the Pumas recovered from a narrow away loss to South Africa in this year’s Rugby Championship with a home win over the Springboks a week later.
He is giving the team the chance to make amends for not playing to their strengths at the Principality stadium.
“We didn’t stick to our plans and kicked too much, we didn’t play a game we feel comfortable with and got a bit lost,” Hourcade said on Thursday.
“We must try to do what we planned and if we lose then it will have been doing our best.”
Hourcade made two changes on the bench, bringing back veteran back-rower Juan Manuel Leguizamon and including uncapped back Juan Pablo Estelles.
Estelles, who signed for Northampton Saints after playing for Argentina’s Sevens team at the Rio Olympic Games in August, was drafted into the tour squad in Britain this week as a replacement for injured winger Ramiro Moyano.
ARGENTINA:
Team: 15-Joaquin Tuculet, 14-Matias Moroni, 13-Matias Orlando, 12-Juan Martin Hernandez, 11-Santiago Cordero, 10-Nicolas Sanchez, 9-Martin Landajo, 8-Facundo Isa, 7-Javier Ortega Desio, 6-Pablo Matera, 5-Matias Alemanno, 4-Guido Petti, 3-Ramiro Herrera, 2-AgustIn Creevy (captain), 1-Lucas Noguera
Replacements: 16-Julian Montoya, 17-Santiago Garcia Botta, 18-Enrique Pieretto, 19-Leonardo Senatore, 20-Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 21-Tomas Cubelli, 22-Jeronimo de la Fuente, 23-Juan Pablo Estelles
Chinmay Hejmadi
Roar Guru
Honestly I think the Scots should win this one easily if both teams stay anywhere near to their form from last week. Argentina need to introduce a bit of control into their game if they are to put their skills to any use. The errors they made against Wales were shocking.
Nobrain
Guest
I do not understand why Hourcade is taking so many players to the trip and the same players that had an awful game against Wales will be on the field again.It is very difficult to follow the line of thought of the coach. Many of these players are suffering from a mental fatigue and you have fresh ones that are ready to play. It might be some economic reasons with a monetary compensation for some of the players that made the choice to play for the Jaguares and had to quit better salaries that were offered in Europe .
The Saint
Roar Guru
If the Scots are mentally up for this game (after last week's disappointment) it should be an even contest against the Argies. Scotland did everything to beat Australia but just got pipped at the end.