Argentinean Rugby
Hernandez to miss World Cup
ESPNscrum Staff
August 10, 2011
Argentina's fly-half Juan Martin Hernandez (C) runs with the ball during the Rugby union World Cup pool D match Ireland v. Argentina at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on September 30, 2007
Hernandez was one of the stand-out players in the 2007 World Cup © Getty Images
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Argentina have received a monumental blow ahead of the forthcoming World Cup with the news that star back Juan Martin Hernandez will miss the tournament after failing to recover from a right knee injury.

Pumas coach Santiago Phelan today unveiled his 30-man player list to play in New Zealand and confirmed Hernandez will not be there. Hernandez suffered his injury in March, playing for French club side Racing Metro against Bourgoin. He underwent surgery and began an intensive rehabilitation process in the hope of recovering in time for the World Cup.

Phelan cut nine other players from his provisional squad: Agustin Figuerola, Genaro Fessia, Lucas Borges, Martin Bustos Moyano, Eusebio Guinazu, Rafael Carballo, Santiago Guzman, Andres Bordoy and Gabriel Ascarate.

Bordoy and Ascarate will travel with the squad for their warm-up Test against Wales in Cardiff on August 20, to provide back-up in case of injuries.

Familiar names included in the World Cup squad include Leicester's Horacio Agulla and Marcos Ayerza and former Leinster fly-half Felipe Contepomi. Former Sale No.8 Juan Fernandez Lobbe will be a key component in the Argentinean team if they are to emulate their 2007 World Cup form and he will look to Exeter Chiefs' new winger Gonzalo Camacho for tries.

Argentina will play Wales on August 20 at the Millennium Stadium before starting their World Cup campaign against England on September 10 in Dunedin.

Argentina:

Forwards: Patricio Albacete (Toulouse), Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers), Maximiliano Bustos (Montpellier) Alejandro Campos (Agen), Manuel Carizza (Biarritz), Agustin Creevy (Montpellier), Julio Alfredo Farias Cabello (Tucuman RC), Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Toulon), Genaro Fessia (Wasps), Juan Figallo (Montpellier), Mariano Galarza (Pampas XV), , Mario Ledesma (no club), Juan Manuel Leguizamon (Lyon), Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais), Martin Scelzo (Agen), Leonardo Senatore (Gimnasia y Esgrima Rosario), Nicolas Vergallo (Toulouse)

Backs: Horacio Agulla (Leicester Tigers), Marcelo Bosch (Biarritz), Gonzalo Camacho (Exeter), Felipe Contepomi (Stade Francais), Santiago Fernandez (Montpellier), Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino (Montpellier), Agustin Gosio (Club Newman), Juan Jose Imhoff (Duendes RC Rosario), Alfredo Lalanne (London Irish), Martin Rodriguez (Stade Francais) Federico Sanches (Bordeaux Begles), Gonzalo Tiesi (Stade Francais) Tomas Vallejos (Harlequins)

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