Team news: Leinster outhalf Felipe Contepomi will start at inside centre as Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda opted for Juan Martin Hernandez at number 10 for the World Cup curtain raiser on Friday night.
The 25-year-old Stade Francais star is a fullback by trade but has expressed a desire to play at number 10, and will start against hosts France in St Denis.
Loffreda has chosen Hernandez for the position ahead of Contepomi and Federico Todeschini.
Contepomi moves into the centres, where he will partner his twin brother Manuel, while Todeschini - an expert place-kicker - is on the bench.
Regular number eight Gonzalo Longo is sidelined with a leg injury so Lucas Ostiglia is named at the back of the scrum.
Juan Martin Scelzo, Ignacio Corleto and Juan Manuel Leguizamon have all shrugged off minor knocks and will start.
But lock Rimas Alvarez is named on the bench, with Loffreda sticking with the secondrow combination of Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Patricio Albacete.
The team is captained by veteran scrumhalf Agustin Pichot.
Elsewhere, England have announced that outhalf Jonny Wilkinson will receive intensive treatment over the next few days in his battle to recover from an ankle injury.
Wilkinson was hurt during a training session in Versailles yesterday, ruling him out of England's opener against the USA in Lens on Saturday. It was initially announced that Wilkinson had twisted his ankle, but that has now been confirmed as a ligament sprain.
The 2003 World Cup final match-winner underwent an x-ray and scan yesterday afternoon, and was comprehensively assessed by England's medical staff this morning.
Wilkinson will now receive intensive treatment, although England say there will be no further update on him until next Tuesday.
England face their crucial pool clash against South Africa in Paris on Friday week, a game for which Wilkinson must now be rated extremely doubtful. His place in the starting line-up against the USA will be taken by Bath's Olly Barkley.
Wallaby vice-captain Phil Waugh has been omitted from the Australia squad to play Japan on Saturday.
Australia coach John Connolly said he could not find a place for Waugh in his 22-man squad after choosing George Smith as the starting openside flanker.
Connolly said he had picked 21-year-old uncapped utility back Berrick Barnes on his replacements' bench ahead of Waugh because of his extra versatility.
There were no other major surprises in the side as Connolly stuck to his promise to choose his strongest available lineup against Japan.
Chris Latham was picked to start his first match this year after missing most of the season following knee surgery. He made his return as a substitute against New Zealand in July but was always considered an automatic selection once fit.
Argentina (v France): 15-Ignacio Corleto; 14-Lucas Borges, 13-Manuel Contepomi, 12-Felipe Contepomi, 11-Horacio Agulla; 10-Juan Martin Hernandez, 9-Agustin Pichot (captain); 8-Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7-Lucas Ostiglia, 6-Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 5-Patricio Albacete, 4-Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3-Martin Scelzo, 2-Mario Ledesma, 1-Rodrigo Roncero
Replacements: 16-Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17-Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, 18-Rimas Alvarez, 19-Martin Durand, 20-Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, 21-Federico Todeschini, 22-Hernan Senillosa.
Argentina (v France): (v Japan): 15-Chris Latham, 14-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13-Stirling Mortlock (captain), 12-Matt Giteau, 11-Lote Tuqiri, 10-Stephen Larkham, 9-George Gregan, 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-George Smith, 6-Rocky Elsom, 5-Dan Vickerman, 4-Nathan Sharpe, 3-Al Baxter, 2-Stephen Moore, 1-Matt Dunning.
Replacements: 16-Adam Freier, 17-Guy Shepherdson, 18-Hugh McMeniman, 19-Stephen Hoiles, 20-Berrick Barnes, 21-Drew Mitchell, 22-Mark Gerrard.
