Juan Manuel Leguizamon: Argentina captain looking to bounce back from Twickenham defeat
Gethin Jenkins: prop will be earning his 100th Wales cap
Argentina visit Cardiff to take on Wales on Saturday aiming to repeat their win at the same venue last autumn.
On that occasion, tries from Juan Imhoff and Gonzalo Camacho went unanswered by Wales.
Then coached by Rob Howley, Wales relied on Leigh Halfpenny’s boot and were, like this year, without Dan Lydiate, Jonathan Davies and Adam Jones.
Argentina, meanwhile, had a stronger back-three which included the aforementioned duo and Juan Martin Hernandez whereas this year it’s Joaquin Tuculet, Horacio Agulla and Santiago Cordero.
Compounding that fact is that prop Juan Figallo and flank Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe are out and they come into the fixture on the back of a 31-12 defeat to England at Twickenham.
The visiting forward pack remains solid as Maximiliano Bustos and Marcos Ayerza look to get stuck into two players at the opposite end of the career spectrum.
They are Gethin Jenkins, earning his 100th Wales cap, and Scarlets tighthead Rhodri Jones, who earns his third international appearance in red.
Despite going down to South Africa, Wales were impressive last weekend and had centre Davies not gone off, who knows how many more times he would have sliced through the Springbok midfield.
Allen chance
Unfortunately for the soon-to-be Clermont man, his injury was serious so there’s a change that sees Cardiff Blues youngster Cory Allen come in. Those who have watched the RaboDirect PRO12 and Heineken Cup will know he has bags of potential.
In truth it is an exciting, if untried, backline that includes Dan Biggar at ten alongside the unattached Mike Phillips, with James Hook waiting should Warren Gatland want a change.
“It was always our intention to give Dan and Rhys one game each at the start of the series and it’s Dan chance this week,” said Gatland ahead of their penultimate game of 2013.
“Last weekend (a tough international against the Springboks) will stand us in good stead in terms of physicality and intensity as Saturday will be a huge battle against Argentina.”
Wales: Halfpenny, North, Allen, Scott Williams, Liam Williams, Biggar, Phillips, Faletau, Tipuric, Warburton (capt), Alun Wyn Jones, Davies, Rhodri Jones, Hibbard, Jenkins
Replacements: Owens, James, Lee, Charteris, Ryan Jones, Lloyd Williams, Hook, Beck
Argentina: Tuculet, Agulla, Bosch, Fernandez, Cordero, Sanchez, Landajo, Leguizamon (capt), Cabello, Matera, Albacete, Carizza, Bustos, Guinazu, Ayerza
Replacements: Valdez, Lobo, Diaz, Lavanini, Senatore, Cubelli, Ascarate, Amorosino
Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/24937402
Autumn international: Wales v Argentina preview
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