[SANZAR] Preview: Arg v Wales
Argentina v Wales
Estadium Atletico, Tucuman
Saturday, 12 June
Kick-off: 2010 BST
Gonzalo Longo captains a Pumas side shorn of five French-based stars for
the first Test with Wales in Tucuman.
He leads a predictably formidable pack with a beefy front row spearheaded
by 71-cap veteran hooker Federico Mendez.
The frontal challenge will be met by Wales lock Gareth Llewellyn, who is set
to break Neil Jenkins' national record of 87 caps in the game.
Winning first caps are 33-year-old Jason Forster and wing Hal Luscombe,
replacing the injured Gareth Thomas.
Wales coach Mike Ruddock is confident that his side can meet the physical
assault of the Argentinians and produce the sort of flair seen under his
predecessor Steve Hansen's sides.
"We don't want to be intimidated by Tucuman or the Argentina team," Ruddock
told BBC Sport Wales ahead of his first major challenge in the job.
"We want to be physical with them and stop them in the areas we feel they will
be looking to dominate.
"Our discipline will have to be excellent for us to match them up front and
focus on getting the ball wide.
"If they go round hitting us and conceding penalties it could work to our
advantage."
Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda feels that playing in the Tucuman hot-bed
could work to his side's advantage.
"For us it is good to play outside of Buenos Aires, especially as the people
of Tucuman are fanatical about rugby," said Loffreda.
"Wales improved immensely in the 2003 World Cup and in the Six Nations.
"Even though they have been below Argentina in the world rankings, they will
continue with the same style despite the change of coach."
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Argentina: H Senillosa, L Borges, M Gaitan, M Contepomi, J Piossek,
F Contepomi, M Albina, R Roncero, F Mendez, O Hasan, P Albacete, I Lobbe,
M Durand, L Ostiglia, G Longo (capt).
Replacements: E Ginzau, P Cardinali, P Bouza, M Shusterman, L Fleming,
G Bustos, J Orengo.
Wales: R Williams, H Luscombe, S Parker, G Henson, S Williams, C Sweeney,
D Peel, D Jones, M Davies, A Jones, B Cockbain, G Llewellyn, C Charvis(capt),
J Forster, M Owen.
Replacements: H Bennett, G Jenkins, D Morris, J Thomas, M Phillips,
N Robinson, T Shanklin.
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