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News: Hernandez in World Cup fitness race

Players/Officials: Santiago Phelan

Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup

Teams: Argentina

Argentina coach Santiago Phelan has named a 45-man squad for the Pumas' World Cup warm-up clashes against the French Barbarians.

The squad features a host of European-based players including Toulon duo Felipe Contepomi and Juan Manuel Fernandez Lobbe, Stade Francais' Juan Manuel Leguizamon and Leicester's Marcos Ayerza and Horacio Agulla. There is no place for Racing Metro playmaker Juan Martin Hernandez who is facing a race to be fit for Argentina's Rugby World Cup campaign after undergoing surgery on a knee ligament injury in March.

Phelan has also called on nine of those players who helped propel the Pampas XV, Argentina's second string side, to a 14-9 victory over the Blue Bulls in the final of the Vodacom Cup competition on Friday night. Augustine Creevy, Maximiliano Bustos, Benjamin Macom, Mariano Galarza, Miguel de Achaval, Leonardo Senato, Nicolas Sanchez, Juan Jose Imhoff and Agustin Gosio all featured strongly in their impressive unbeaten run to the title.

Argentina tackle the French Barbarians at the Estadio Libertadores de América in Avellaneda on June 4 - the same date as France's Top 14 Final. As a result, Phelan may be without Clermont's Mario Ledesma and Martin Scelzo, Toulouse's Patricio Albacete, Nicholas Vergallo and Alberto Vernet Basulado, Racing Metro's Alvaro Galindo, Juan Pablo Orlandi and Montpellier's Juan Figallo, Santiago Fernandez and Moyano Martin Bustos with their sides still in the mix for the Bouclier de Brennus. The two sides go head-to-head again seven days later at the estadio Centenario del Club Atlético Sarmiento in Chaco.

The Pumas, who will compete in the South American Rugby Championship later this month, face England, Scotland, Georgia and Romania in Pool B at this year's World Cup. They are also scheduled to tackle Wales in a pre-tournament warm-up in Cardiff on August 20.

Argentina squad:
Horacio Agulla (Leicester Tigers), Patricio Albacete (Toulouse), Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers), Lucas Borges (Albi), Marcel Boasch (Biarritz), Nicolas Bruzzone (SIC), Moyano Martin Bustos (Montpelier), Maximiliano Bustos (University), Oscar Camacho (Harlequins), Alejandro Campos (Agen), Rafael Carballo (Bordeaux-Begles), Manuel Carizza (Biarritz), Felip Contepomi (Toulon), Augustine Creevy (Free), Miguel de Achaval (Alumni), Julio Alfredo Hair Farias (Tucuman), Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Toulon), Santiago Fernandez (Montpellier), Genaro Fessio (Cordoba), Juan Figallo (Montpellier), Agustin Figuerola (Brive), Mariano Galarza (Free), Alvaro Galindo (Racing Metro), Juan Ignacio Gauthier (Colomiers), Luccas Amorosino Gonzalez (Leicester Tigers), Agustin Oscar Gosia (Newman), Eusebio Guinazu (Biarritz), Santiago Nicolas Guzman (Tucuman), Juan Jose Imhoff (Duendes), Alfredo Lalanne (London Irish), Mario Ledesma (Clermont Auvergne), Juan Manuel Leguizamon (Stade Francais), Benjamon Macom (Tucuman), Ignacio Mieres (Exeter), Juan Pablo Orlandi (Racing Metro), Martin Rodriguez (Stade Francais), Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais), Horacio Alberto San Martin (Aironi), Federico Nicolas Sanchez (Tucuman), Martin Scelzo (Clermon Auvergne), Leonardo Vicente Senator (GER), Gonzalo Tiesi (Stade Francais), Thomas Vallejos (Harlequins), Nicholas Vergallo (Toulouse), Alberto Vernet Basualdo (Toulouse)