mens
nations-championship
Argentina they will be without experience in 324 games from the starting XV they faced Ireland when they take over Italy on Saturday in Genoa.
Felipe Contepomi made five changes in the 42-12 defeat in Dublin, with Julián Montoya, Marcos Kremer and Juan Cruz Mallía all ruled out through injury, while Juan Martín González and Gonzalo García dropped to the bench.
Montoya’s absence makes 120 games missed after picking up a head injury against Ireland. Bautista Bernasconi, who has only three games under his belt, will start the test in his place.
Kremer, an 83-game veteran, misses out with a sprained right ankle, prompting another change in the back row. Pablo Matera moves from 8 to blindside and captains Argentina for the fourth time in five Tests, with eight-header Joaquín Moro and three-man Juan Martín Scelzo completing the relaxed trio.
Gonzalez’s 51 games were transferred to the bench, while Garcia with 19 games was replaced at halftime by Simón Benítez Cruz.
Mallia’s injury removes another 51 games from the running back side. Bautista Delguy consequently moves to full-back, allowing Rodrigo Isgro to start on the wing.
Facundo Bosch and Facundo Isa return among the substitutes, with Isa in line for his first Test appearance since July 2025.
Leonel Oviedo also left the team after picking up a knee injury, while Benjamín Grondona was called up after Kremer’s setback.
Argentina XV: 15 Bautista Delguy, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Justo Piccardo, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 9 Simon Benítez Cruz; 1 Boris Wenger, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 3 Francisco Moreno, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 6 Pablo Matera (c), 7 Joaquín Moro, 8 Juan Martin Scelzo.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Ephraim Elias, 20 Juan Martín González, 21 Facundo Isa, 22 Gonzalo García, 23 Gerónimo Prisciantelli.