Pumas change 7 for Bok rematch

Buenos Aires - Argentina have made seven changes to the team that humiliated South Africa last weekend for a Test rematch in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Apart from the personnel alterations, coach Daniel Hourcade has opted for two positional switches as the Pumas seek to build on a stunning 37-25 Rugby Championship win over the Springboks in Durban.

It was the first triumph for Argentina over South Africa after 19 failed attempts since the countries' initial meeting in 1993 in Buenos Aires.

And it was the first Championship away victory for the South Americans after 10 losses in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa over four seasons.

Hourcade justified changing a team that achieved the Pumas' greatest victory since they overcame hosts France to finish third at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

"The team for each match was decided in advance so that each player goes to the World Cup with the right amount of game time," he told reporters Wednesday ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup warm-up Test.

"We realise the Springboks are going to try and alter their image and we have to be ready for a battle."

Out of the Durban starting backline go right winger Horacio Agulla, centres Marcelo Bosch and injured Jeronimo De la Fuente and scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli.

They are replaced by Santiago Cordero, Matias Moroni, Nicolas Sanchez and Martin Landajo for the match at the 50 000-capacity Estadio Jose Amalfitani in a western suburb of the Argentine capital.

Veteran Hernandez, who was outstanding at fly-half last weekend, retreats to inside centre to accommodate Sanchez in the pivotal role.

Sanchez disappointed in Rugby Championship losses to New Zealand and Australia last month and his form will be closely monitored with the World Cup kick-off just over a month away.

Among the forwards, lock Guido Petti Pagadizabal, flank Pablo Matera and No 8 Leonardo Senatore step down.

Into their places come Benjamin Macome, Tomas Lezana and France-based 64-Test veteran Jean Martin Fernandez Lobbe.

Juan Manuel Leguizamon, another long-serving warrior in the Pumas pack, moves from the flank to No 8 in a positional alteration.

Hourcade has retained the Durban front row of props Marcos Ayerza (loosehead) and Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (tighthead) and hooker-cum-skipper Agustin Creevy after they tormented South Africa last weekend.

The passionate Pumas dominated the scrums and breakdowns as South Africa suffered their most humiliating Test loss since a 49-0 meltdown in Australia nine years ago.

It is the final Test for both countries before they name 31-man World Cup squads with Argentina due to reveal theirs Sunday.

South Africa are in Pool B at the global rugby showcase with Japan, Samoa, Scotland and the United States, while Argentina are in Pool C alongside Georgia, Namibia, title-holders New Zealand and Tonga.

Teams:

Argentina:

15-Joaquin Tuculet, 14-Santiago Cordero, 13-Matias Moroni, 12-Juan Martin Hernandez, 11-Juan Imhoff, 10-Nicolas Sanchez, 9-Martin Landajo; 8-Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7-Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 6-Tomas Lezana, 5-Tomas Lavanini, 4-Benjamin Macome, 3-Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2-Agustin Creevy (captain), 1-Marcos Ayerza

Substitutes: 16-Julian Montoya, 17-Lucas Noguera, 18-Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19-Matias Alemanno, 20-Pablo Matera, 21-Tomas Cubelli, 22-Juan Pablo Socino, 23-Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino

South Africa:

15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Lwazi Mvovo, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Trevor Nyakane

Substitutes: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20, Pieter-Steph du Toit, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Jan Serfontein