Argentina's Los Pumas prepare to host Australia's Wallabies in the first Test of the first Test of a two-match series, with both teams naming unchanged starting lineups from recent matches amid key player absences due to injury and unavailability.
AI-generated summary
Los Pumas have played four Test matches in 2026, all at home, starting against Scotland, Wales and England in the Nations Championship. They lost to Scotland 47-38, beat Wales 35-12, and lost to England 31-24. Earlier this month, they pushed world champions South Africa to a 17-10 defeat. The Wallabies are on a three-match winning streak, having defeated Japan earlier this month.
Los Pumas have played four Test matches in 2026, all at home.
They started against Scotland, Wales and England in the opening three rounds of the inaugural Nations Championship.
The Nations Championship got off to a losing start with a 47-38 defeat by Scotland. A more promising 35-12 win over Wales was then followed by 31-24 loss to England — a match which they never led at any point.
Los Pumas had one Test match against South Africa earlier this month and pushed the world champions to a 17-10 defeat.
ARGENTINA (15-1): 15-Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14-Rodrigo Isgro, 13-Lucio Cinti, 12-Faustino Sanchez Valarolo, 11-Ignacio Mendy, 10-Santiago Carreras, 9-Simon Benitez Cruz, 8-Joaquin Moro, 7-Benjamin Grondona, 6-Pablo Matera (captain), 5-Tomas Lavanini, 4-Guido Petti, 3-Francisco Moreno, 2-Ignacio Ruiz, 1-Boris Wenger
Replacements: 16-Leonel Oviedo, 17-Rodrigo Martinez, 18-Tomas Rapetti, 19-Efraín Elias, 20-Juan Penoucos, 21-Agustín Moyano, 22-Nicolas Roger, 23-Matias Moroni
Argentina has named the same starting side that was defeated by world champions South Africa earlier this month.
Los Pumas enter this two-Test series against the Wallabies with several key players unavailable after facing the Wallabies in 2025.
Captain Julián Montoya, flanker Marcos Kremer and backs Mateo Carreras, Santiago Chocobares, Bautista Delguy are all unavailable.
Juan Martin Gonzalez, Juan Cruz Mallia and Pedro Rubiolo, who also faced the Wallabies in 2025, are injured.
WALLABIES (15-1): 15-Tom Wright, 14-Max Jorgensen, 13-Isaac Henry, 12-Hunter Paisami, 11-Harry Potter, 10-Carter Gordon, 9-Ryan Lonergan, 8-Rob Valetini, 7-Fraser McReight, 6-Tom Hooper, 5-Jeremy Williams, 4-Josh Canham, 3-Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2-Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1-Isaac Kailea
Replacements: 16-Billy Pollard, 17-Angus Bell, 18-Massimo de Lutiis, 19-Lachlan Shaw, 20-Charlie Cale, 21-Tate McDermott, 22-Ben Donaldson, 23-Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Wallabies coach Les Kiss has kept the same starting backline that soundly defeated Japan in Townsville earlier this month, while Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is returning from injury and will come off the bench.
Up front, Isaac Kailea has his first start in two years at loosehead prop, while Brandon Paenga-Amosa starts at hooker and Alaalatoa at tighthead.
Usual captain Harry Wilson has been rotated out of the side, as Kiss cycles through his stocks ahead of next year's home World Cup.
Rob Valetini lines up at number eight in place of Wilson, with Tom Hooper starting for the first time this year at blindside flanker. Queensland Reds star Fraser McReight starts at openside flanker, after coming off the bench in Townsville against Japan.
Good morning, Australia.
Welcome to ABC Sport's live digital coverage of the first Test on Australia's tour of Argentina.
The Wallabies are on a three-match winning streak, but face a big challenge this morning against a talented and formidable Pumas side.
Join us throughout the morning, and be part of the conversation in the comment section below.
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