Argentina pick six forwards on the bench against England
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FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby Championship - Argentina Team Announcement - Rosebank Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa - July 27, 2023 Argentina's Juan Cruz Mallia during a press conference REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
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Argentina's Juan Cruz Mallia returns at fullback to face England in their Rugby World Cup Pool D clash in Marseille on Saturday as coach Michael Cheika opted for six forwards on the bench.
Mallia is part of a back three with goal-kicker Emiliano Boffelli and Mateo Carreras on the wings and a powerful midfield of Santiago Chocobares and Lucio Cinti. Santiago Carreras is at flyhalf and Gonzalo Bertranou gets the nod at number nine.
The team is captained by hooker Julian Montoya, who packs down with props Thomas Gallo and Francisco Gomez Kodela, while the second row is made up of Matias Alemanno and Tomas Lavanini.
Former captain Pablo Matera is on the flank along with Marcos Kremer, and Juan Martin Gonzalez is at number eight, as Cheika took the unusual step, for him at least, of naming a 6-2 split between forwards and backs on his bench.
Argentina team:
15-Juan Cruz Mallia, 14-Emiliano Boffelli, 13-Lucio Cinti, 12-Santiago Chocobares, 11-Mateo Carreras, 10-Santiago Carreras, 9-Gonzalo Bertranou, 8-Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7-Marcos Kremer, 6-Pablo Matera, 5-Tomas Lavanini, 4-Matias Alemanno, 3-Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2-Julian Montoya (captain), 1-Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16-Augustin Creevy, 17-Joel Sclavi, 18-Eduardo Bello, 19-Guido Petti, 20-Pedro Rubiolo, 21-Rodrigo Bruni, 22-Lautaro Bazan Velez, 23-Matias Moroni REUTERS
