February 12, 2016
Americas Rugby Championship Preview: Argentina XV – Chile
Doug Coil
Argentina XV plays Chile in San Juan on Saturday at 6.10pm local time (4:10pm ET) at the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario. The game will be available live on ESPN 3 for South America with the exception Belize and Brazil.
Chile enters the match in second place in the Americas Rugby Championship standings with 4 points after a 25-22 win last week against Brazil. Argentina XV are in third place with 3 points after an exciting display of rugby in a 35-35 draw last week against the United States.
The fixture between Argentina and Chile represents a rich rugby history between the two nations. It is the oldest fixture among South American nations, dating to 1936 when Argentina first crossed the Andes to tackle the Chilean national team.
Argentina XV has made 10 changes to its starting fifteen against the USA Eagles. Head coach Pablo Bouza indicates that rotating players and gives opportunities to view the performance of newer players.
Several of the first round players are traveling to South Africa to join the Jaguares for Super Rugby action. This includes first round captain Rodrigo Báez, scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou, hooker Santiago González Iglesias and Matías Orlando. Sevens players Segundo Tuculet, Rodrigo Etchart, Santiago Álvarez and Bautista Ezcurra, who returned from winning the Plate at the Sydney sevens will join the squad. The team will be captained by Roberto Tejerizo, an experienced prop.
Chile has three changes from their squad against Brazil last week. Their backs remain the same. Wingers Zunino and Larenas, and center Francisco de la Fuente scored the team’s three tries. The forwards include five players from the previous match, including the complete back-row and captain Benjamín Soto. Claudio Zamorano and Luis Sepúlveda move from the reserves as prop as Ramón Ayarza and Sergio de la Fuente are unavailable. Raimundo Piwonka replaces Matías Cabrera in the second row.
The reserves include four changes, as Nicolás Venegas and José Tomás Munita are props, Felipe Bassaletti a lock and Matthieu Manas as backup scrumhalf.
Argentina XV v Chile, Saturday, February 13
Referee: Kurt Weaver (USA). Assistants: Claudio Antonio and Jason Mola
Argentina XV Squad: 1 Roberto Tejerizo (cap) 2 Axel Zapata 3 Enrique Pieretto 4 Pedro Ortega 5 Marcos Kremer 6 José Deheza 7 Lautaro Bávaro 8 Miguel Urtubey 9 Lautaro Bazán Vélez 10 Bautista Ezcurra 11 Segundo Tuculet 12 Joaquín Paz 13 Santiago Álvarez Fourcade 14 Rodrigo Etchart 15 Pedro Mercerat. Res: 16 Franco Brarda 17 Ignacio Calles 18 Eduardo Bello 19 Ignacio Calas 20 Santiago Portillo 21 Mario Perotti 22 Juan León Novillo 23 Juan Cappiello
Chile Squad: 1 Claudio Zamorano 2 Rodrio Moya 3 Luis Sepúlveda 4 Nikola Bursic 5 Raimundo Piwonka 6 Cristobal Niedman 7 Javier Richard 8 Benjamín Soto (cap) 9 Beltrán Vergara 10 Cristian Onetto 11 Ítalo Zunino 12 Francisco de la Fuente 13 Matías Nordenflycht 14 José Ignacio Larenas 15 Leonardo Montoya. Res: 16 Tomás Dussaillant 17 Nicolás Venegas 18 José Manuel Munita 19 Felipe Bassaletti 20 Ignacio Silva 21 Matthieu Manas 22 Pablo Casas 23 Matías Contreras
