Pumas in must-win clash with Romania

Argentina will aim to get their World Cup campaign back on track when they face Romania at Invercargill on Saturday in a Pool B game they must win to keep alive their hopes of once again reaching the last eight.

The Pumas suffered a devastating 13-9 loss to England in their opener after leading for much of the match and they finished that game with a long injury list.

Centre Gonzalo Tiesi was subsequently ruled out of the rest of the tournamentwith a leg injury, while fly-half and skipper Felipe Contepomi was left in great pain from badly bruised ribs.Coach Santiago Phelan has brought in Marcelo Bosch to replace Tiesi, while Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino comes in at full back to allow positional switches for Martin Rodriguez and Santiago Fernandez, the latter of whom replaces Contepomi in the No.10 shirt.

Durable No.8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe has been named as Argentina captain in the absence of Contepomi.

On the plus side, veteran hooker Mario Ledesma is fully fit and will set a new record for World Cup matches for Argentina, playing his 15th. He previously shared the record of 14 with Augustin Pichot and Contepomi.Lobbe said he was impressed with the way that Romania pushed Scotland in their opener in Invercargill before losing 24-34.“They have a really good pack and a good defence - we saw that against Scotland,” he said. “We’ll have the same approach - a great defence, keep our tackling low, and try to stop them at lineouts and rolling mauls.”

Romania were left with some regrets over running out of steam in the last 10 minutes against Scotland after a powerful pack display which had their Six Nations rivals on the back foot.They have lost all seven games they have played against Argentina including a 50-3 thumping in the 2003 World Cup, but Oaks coach Romeo Gontineac believes his side has taken great confidence from the match against Scotland.

“It’s reassured us and we’re feeling positive,” he said.

“We just have to make sure we keep the positives from that experience.”Gontineac retained the same pack, but made three changes in the back division.Tiberius Ionut Dimofte, who turned in an impeccable kicking display against Scotland, moves from centre to take over from Marin Danut Dumbrava at fly half while Florin Surugiu gets the nod at scrum half, replacing veteran Lucian Mihai Sirbu.

Constantin Gheara at centre and Ionel Cazan on the wing were also named in the starting line-up.Argentina (15-1): Lucas Gonzalez, Gonzalo Camacho, Martin Rodriguez, Marcelo Bosch, Horacio Agulla, Santiago Fernandez, Nicolas Vergallo, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Julio Farias Cabello, Patricio Albacete, Manuel Carizza, Juan Figallo, Mario Ledesma, Rodrigo Roncero. Res: Agustin Creevy, Martin Scelzo, Mariano Galarza, Alejandro Campos, Alfredo Lalanne, Nicolas Sanchez, Juan Jose Imhoff.

Romania (15-1): Iulian Dumitras, Madalin Vlad Lemnaru, Csaba Minya Gal, Constantin Gheara, Ionel Cazan, Tiberius Ionut Dimofte, Florin Surugiu, Daniel Carpo, Ovidiu Tonita, Mihai Macovei, Cristian Constantin Petre, Valentin Neculai Ursache, Paulica Ion, Marius Tincu (capt), Mihaita Alexandru Lazar.

Res: Bogdan Zebega Suman, Silviu Florea, Valentin Poparlan, Daniel Gabriel Ianus, Valentin Nicolae Calafeteanu, Marin Danut Dumbrava Florin Adrian Vlaicu.