ARGENTINA ALREADY had grounds for confidence heading into their Rugby Championship Test against Australia on the Gold Coast today and the absence of Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia has given them some more.
The Pumas have been impressive in their draw with South Africa and the defeat to New Zealand in their last two games, while Australia were humbled twice by the All Blacks before last week’s scrappy 26-19 win over the Springboks.
Genia will be sidelined for six months after undergoing knee reconstruction on Wednesday and is the third Australia captain this season to be ruled out of the inaugural four-team Southern Hemisphere championship by injury.
“I think he’s been a talisman for them,” Argentina prop Marcos Ayerza told reporters this week. “To lose a key player . . . and a captain . . . is a massive loss for Australia and hopefully we can use that to our advantage.”
Genia will be replaced at halfback by Nick Phipps for today’s match at Skilled Park and as skipper by lock Nathan Sharpe, who will lead his country in what will be his 109th Test.
Coach Robbie Deans has rejigged his backline by bringing straight-running Pat McCabe back into the centres and moving Berrick Barnes to fullback in place of Kurtley Beale, who has been dropped to the bench.
In the forwards, a hamstring injury to Sitaleki Timani means a debut for Kane Douglas alongside Sharpe in the secondrow against an Argentina pack unchanged from the 21-5 loss to the world champions.
Argentina coach Santiago Phelan has also changed his scrumhalf and fullback with Martin Landajo making way for Nicolas Vergallo at the back of the scrum while Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino comes in for Martin Rodriguez in the number 15 shirt.
Argentina upset the Wallabies in their ever first Test in Australia in Brisbane 29 years ago but have lost the subsequent eight matches between the sides.
AUSTRALIA: B Barnes; D Shipperley, A Ashley-Cooper, P McCabe, D Ioane; Q Cooper, N Phipps; B Robinson, T Polota Nau, B Alexander; K Douglas, N Sharpe (capt); D Dennis, M Hooper, R Samo.
ARGENTINA: L Gonzalez Amorosino; G Camacho, M Bosch, S Fernandez, H Agulla; JM Hernandez, M Landajo; R Roncero, E Guinazu, J Figallo; M Carizza, P Albacete; JF Cabello, JM Leguizamon, JM Fernandez Lobbe (capt).
Referee: W Barnes (England).
Sep 29th – South Africa v Australia, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria; Argentina v New Zealand,Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata.
Oct 6th – South Africa v New Zealand, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg; Argentina v Australia, Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario.
