Los Pumas show five changes for Boks clash

Despite beating Australia a fortnight ago, Argentina have made five changes to their starting line-up to play the Springboks in the last game of the Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Coach Michaek Cheika made four changes to the backline and one to the pack that helped subdue the Wallabies in Sydney.

Experienced fullback Emiliano Boffelli drops out with Juan Cruz Mallia replacing him, but that loss of caps in the back three is offset by the return on the left wing of Juan Imhoff at the expense of Rodrigo Isgro, while Mateo Carreras is required to switch wings.

Another experienced hand, centre Jeronimo de la Fuente, has been left out with Santiago Chocobares earmarked to take his place.

Lautaro Bazan Velez is the starting scrumhalf with Gonzalo Bertranou dropping to the bench.

The change in the pack was expected with lock Lucas Paulos elevated from the bench in the place of Matias Alemanno.

Cheika's changes may seem a little extreme, given the team's success in Sydney, but the coach needs to provide wider playing opportunity before he settles on his Rugby World Cup selections.

The Springboks, with similar consideration, earlier in the week made nine changes to their starting team that lost to the All Blacks.

Making five amendments to his team may also be Cheika's way to guard against travel weariness after his team's trip to Australia, return home and journey to South Africa.

Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia; Mateo Carreras, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Juan Imhoff; Santiago Carreras, Lautaro Bazan Velez; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Santiago Gromdona, Pablo Matera; Tomas Lavanini, Lucas Paulos; Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya (captain), Thomas Gallo. Substitutes: Igancio Ruiz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Joel Sclavi, Pedro Rubiolo, Facundo Isa; Gonzalo Bertranou, Tomas Albornoz, Matias Moroni.

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