Argentina welcome France to the Velez Sarsfield Stadium in Buenos Aires on Saturday in the 1st Test in their two match series.

France face the Pumas this weekend and next before flying on to New Zealand to face the All Blacks and Laporte has reminded his players that this is their last chance to impress.

Stalwarts Jean-Jacques Crenca, Raphael Ibanez, Fabien Pelous, Olivier Brouzet, Olivier Magne and Serge Betsen, are being rested at home giving an opportunity to some World Cup hopefuls.

The experimental France side sees a return to action for prop Pieter de Villiers, 30, who was banned for testing positive for ecstasy and cocaine earlier this year.

Laporte has also given a debut to Perpignan lock Jerome Thion 25, while Heineken Cup-winning flyhalf Yann Delaigue, 30, gets the the nod to partner skipper and scrumhalf Fabien Galthie who returns after a shoulder injury.

Delaigue was last capped in 1997. "Yann is the in-form fly-half at the end of the season. He will have three matches to prove that he is the best French flyhalf," said Laporte.

There is also a fresh opportunity for winger Christophe Dominici to earn a World Cup berth. His last appearance for les bleus was back in 2001.

The Pumas travel to South Africa for a one off Test following htis series by which time they hope scrum-half Agustin Pichot will once again be fit for action

The 28 year-old Bristol Shoguns' No.9 picked up an ankle injury in training this week and will be replaced by Nicolás Fernández Miranda.

Pichot's Shoguns' team-mate Felipe Contepomi will start at flyhalf while experienced centre Lisandro Arbizu will skipper the side.

Last year the Pumas edged out their visitors 28-27 but the tourists will be favourites to reverse that result this weekend.

Teams:

Argentina:
Ignacio Corleto, José María Nunez Piossek, Manuel Contepomi, Lisandro Arbizu (c), Diego Albanese, Felipe Contepomi, Nicolás Fernández Miranda, Gonzalo Longo, Lucas Ostiglia, Santiago Phelan, Patricio Albacete, Ignacio Fernández Lobbe, Martín Scelzo, Mario Ledesma, Mauricio Reggiardo.

Replacements: Federico Méndez, Santiago González Bonorino, Pedro Sporleder, Rimas Álvarez, Matías Albina, Gonzalo Quesada, Juan Martín Hernández.

France:
Clément Poitrenaud, Aurélien Rougerie, Thomas Castaignède, Damien Traille, Christophe Dominici, Yann Delaigue, Fabien Galthié (c), Jean Bouilhou, Christian Labit, Patrick Tabacco, Jerome Thion, David Auradou, Pieter De Villiers, Jean-Baptiste Rué, Olivier Milloud.

Replacements: Yannick Bru, Sylvain Marconnet, Lionel Nallet, Imanol Harinordoquy, Frédéric Michalak, Yannick Jauzion, Pepito Elhorga.

Venue: Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Referee: S. Lander (Eng)