Argentina Rugby
Phelan rings the changes for Pumas
Scrum.com
June 10, 2009
Leicester and Argentina prop Marcos Ayerza, Leicester v Gloucester, Guinness Premiership, Welford Road, Leicester, March 7, 2009
Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza will start for the Pumas © Getty Images
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Argentina coach Santiago Phelan has rung the changes as his side prepare to take on England in Salta on Saturday. The Pumas need to win the game in order to level the two-Test series after their 37-15 loss at Old Trafford last weekend, and will be counting on vociferous home support.

Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe again leads a side featuring Juan Martin Hernandez at fly-half, with Gonzalo Tiesi, Horacio Agulla and Gonzalo Camacho also retained in the back-line. Saracens wing Francisco Leonelli, Santiago Fernandez and Alfredo Lalanne are all drafted in.

In the pack, Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza steps up from the bench in place of Juan-Pablo Orlandi and hooker Mario Ledesma also slots in after losing out in the French championship final in the colours of Clermont Auvergne last weekend. Lock Rimas Alvarez-Kairelis also returns after tasting glory with Perpignan in the same game.

Phelan will be hoping for a stronger showing with his French recruits at his disposal, with the game given a tiny bit of added spice by the fact that England have leapfrogged the Pumas in the world rankings thanks to their win last weekend.

Argentina: H Agulla (Brive); F Leonelli (Saracens), G Tiesi (Harlequins), S Fernandez (Hindu), G Camacho (Buenos Aires CRC); JM Hernandez (Stade Francais), A Lalanne (London Irish); R Roncero (Stade Francais), M Ledesma (ASM Clermont Auvergne), M Ayerza (Leicester Tigers), R Alvarez (Perpignan), P Albacete (Stade Toulousain), G Fessia (Cordoba Athletic), JM Leguizamon (Stade Francais), JM Fernandez Lobbe (Sale Sharks - captain).

Replacements: A Vernet Basualdo (Stade Toulousain), JP Orlandi (Rovigo), M Carizza (Biarritz Olympique), E Lozada (Toulon), N Vergallo (Dax), M Avramovic (Montauban), L Gonzalez Amorosino (Pucara)

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