'It's always great to be here' — Contepomi names powerful Argentina side to face Ireland

ARGENTINA HEAD COACH Felipe Contepomi has named a powerful team to face Ireland in their Nations Championship clash at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday [KO 8.10pm, Virgin Media].

The Pumas boss has called his frontline players back into the starting XV, with 12 changes from their last match, a 28-28 draw with Australia in early September.

Contepomi, who is back in the city where he played for and coached Leinster, will hope to see returning big guns like captain Julián Montoya, out-half Tomás Albornoz, back rows Juan Martín González and Marcos Kremer, centre Santiago Chocobares, and wings Matteo Carreras and Bautista Delguy making an impact as Argentina seek their first-ever win over Ireland on Irish soil.

Toulouse fullback Juan Cruz Mallía is another returning face, having last played for Los Pumas a year ago, offsetting the loss of Santiago Carreras to injury. Mallía scored a stunning try for Argentina when they ran Ireland close in Dublin two years ago.

Pumas head coach Contepomi is hoping this will be a very happy visit back to a city he knows so well.

“Fortunately, I’ve already had some time to catch up with old friends,” he said. “I’ve still got some more to catch up with, but I will do it in the next few days.

“It’s always great to be here, and personally I feel very comfortable, so it’s good.”

Argentina hope to beat Ireland in Dublin for the first time, but Contepomi said they won’t get caught up in that possible achievement.

“Well, it’s the only team we haven’t beaten away from home yet, so it would mean a lot,” he said.

“But I think more so it’s for us to try to get better, be competitive against the third team in the world, and one of the best four teams in the last 15 years or so.

“They’ve been around there, so for us it’s just going and playing against one of those top, top teams in the world and being competitive and trying to impose our game or our game plan.”

It has been a challenging 2026 for Los Pumas so far, with a win over Wales sandwiched between disappointing home losses to Scotland and England in July.

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Argentina then lost at home to South Africa and Australia before that draw with the Wallabies in their most recent game.

“I think we’ve been inconsistent in certain times,” said Contepomi of his team’s form.

“I think in July we couldn’t get out of the blocks as quickly as we wanted to, and then obviously because of welfare and so on, we rested a lot of players in August and September, and we had some new guys. We could see a lot of new guys coming through and where they are at, and how to get a bit more depth in our squad.

“So overall I think we’ve been competitive but we lost more than we won, so that’s not good at this level. But I think we’re on the right track and now this November series is a good opportunity to play two of the best four teams in the world and also a team that’s been improving a lot like Italy, and then whatever we get on the final week.”

One of the most notable changes since Argentina’s last game is that former Wales and France defence coach Shaun Edwards has come in to run that side of the Pumas’ game.

The highly experienced Edwards has only just joined the group, so he has had little time with the players, but Contepomi is glad to have him on board.

“He was leaving France and the agent contacted me,” said Contepomi of how it came about.

“When you have that possibility, or that Sean Edwards contacted to come and see something on your side and wanting to bring something to your team, it was an opportunity. With the backup of the union, they made an effort and we could have him with us.

“So we are very pleased. For the first few days that we started knowing each other, he’s a great person in terms of simplicity on rugby but also a great human side, so we’re very glad to have him on board.”

Argentina (v Ireland):

15. Juan Cruz Mallía
14. Bautista Delguy
13. Justo Piccardo
12. Santiago Chocobares
11. Matteo Carreras
10. Tomás Albornoz
9. Gonzalo García

1. Boris Wenger
2. Julián Montoya (captain)
3. Francisco Moreno
4. Guido Petti
5. Pedro Rubiolo
6. Juan Martín González
7. Marcos Kremer
8. Pablo Matera 

Replacements:

16. Leonel Oviedo 
17. Mayco Vivas
18. Joel Sclavi
19. Efraín Elias
20. Juan Martín Scelzo 
21. Símon Benítez Cruz
22. Gerónimo Prisciantelli
23. Lucio Cinti

Referee: Luke Pearce [RFU].

Written by Murray Kinsella and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.