Injury-hit Argentina lose 324 caps of experience for Italy Test in Genoa

Argentina will be without 324 caps’ worth of experience from their starting XV when they face Italy in Genoa on Saturday, with head coach Felipe Contepomi forced into five changes following the Pumas’ 42-12 defeat to Ireland in Dublin. Injuries to Julián Montoya, Marcos Kremer and Juan Cruz Mallía account for the bulk of that experience deficit, while Juan Martín González and Gonzalo García drop to the bench.

Montoya’s absence is the most significant, the 120-cap hooker having suffered a head injury against Ireland. Bautista Bernasconi, who has just three caps to his name, will make his first Test start in place of the experienced hooker.

Kremer, an 83-cap veteran, misses out with a sprained right ankle, triggering a back-row reshuffle. Pablo Matera shifts from No.8 to blindside and will captain Argentina for the fourth time in five Tests, with eight-cap Joaquín Moro and three-cap Juan Martín Scelzo completing the loose trio. Benjamín Grondona has been called into the squad as cover following Kremer’s setback, while Leonel Oviedo has also departed after sustaining a knee injury.

Mallía’s injury removes a further 51 caps from the starting side. Bautista Delguy moves to full-back as a result, opening a wing berth for Rodrigo Isgró. At scrum-half, 19-cap Gonzalo García is replaced by Simón Benítez Cruz, with González’s 51 caps shifted to the replacements bench.

Facundo Bosch and Facundo Isa return among the replacements, with Isa set for his first Test appearance since July 2025 if called upon.

Argentina XV: 15 Bautista Delguy, 14 Rodrigo Isgró, 13 Justo Piccardo, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz; 1 Boris Wenger, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 3 Francisco Moreno, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 6 Pablo Matera (c), 7 Joaquín Moro, 8 Juan Martín Scelzo.

Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Ephraim Elias, 20 Juan Martín González, 21 Facundo Isa, 22 Gonzalo García, 23 Gerónimo Prisciantelli.