Grondona to start against Scotland

By Mark Stevens
15/7/22

Exeter Chiefs forward Santiago Grondona is one of 11 changes Argentina have made to their side ahead of their final summer test with Scotland.

The all-action back-row forward is set for his first taste of action in the series, which is tied at 1-1, heading into tomorrow's clash at Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero.

Grondona, who joined the Chiefs back in November of last year, replaces Marcos Kremer, who drops to the bench at openside flanker.

Following their 29-6 loss last weekend at the hands of the Scots, head coach Michael Cheika has rung the changes with only Guido Petti the sole survivor in the pack.

Elsewhere, the returning Pablo Matera comes back in on the blindside, taking over the captaincy from the injured Julian Montoya. Augustin Creevy replaces him, making his first start since the 2019 Rugby World Cup – at the ripe old age of 37.

Santiago Grondona replaces Marcos Kremer, who drops to the bench. In fact, just Guido Petti survives from the pack who lost to Gregor Townsend’s men last weekend.

A debut has been handed to Lautaro Bazan Velez, a Sevens player, who will start at scrum-half. Fellow debutants – hooker Ignacio Ruiz and fly-half Tomas Albornoz – are named on the bench.

Many of the changes are injury-enforced. As well as the aforementioned Montoya, the home team already had to do without their first-choice half-back pairing of Tomas Cubelli and Nicolas Sanchez after both tore muscles in the first Test win over the Scots in San Salvador de Jujuy on July 2.

Now they must do without Montoya, Domingo Miotti, Felipe Ezcurra and former Exeter favourite Santiago Cordero, all hurt in last Saturday’s 29-6 second Test loss in Salta. Benjamin Urdapilleta is also out after failing to recover from a leg injury, the Argentine Rugby Union confirmed on Tuesday.

ARGENTINA TEAM TO FACE SCOTLAND

1 Thomas Gallo
2 Agustín Creevy
3 Joel Sclavi
4 Guido Petti
5 Tomás Lavanini
6 Pablo Matera (c)
7 Santiago Grondona
8 Facundo Isa
9 Lautaro Bazán Vélez
10 Santiago Carreras
11 Emiliano Boffelli
12 Matías Moroni
13 Matías Orlando
14 Bautista Delguy
15 Juan Cruz Mallía

16 Ignacio Ruiz
17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
18 Francisco Gómez Kodela
19 Marcos Kremer
20 Juan Martín González Samso
21 Gonzalo Bertranou
22 Tomás Albornoz
23 Lucio Cinti