Pumas coach Cheika rings changes for must-win match against Japan / Photo: DAMIEN MEYER - AFP
Pumas coach Cheika rings changes for must-win match against Japan
Argentina coach Michael Cheika has made 11 changes to his team for their must-win final World Cup Pool D match against Japan in Nantes on Sunday.
Santiago Carreras returns at fly-half in place of Nicolas Sanchez, who drops to the bench, while prop Francisco Gomez Kodela will make his first start since the opening-game defeat against England.
Only Guido Petti, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez and Lucio Cinti retained their places from the team that defeated Chile 59-5 last week.
The winner of Sunday's match will qualify for the World Cup quarter-finals alongside already-qualified England, who will top the pool.
The loser will miss out on advancing to the knock-out phase.
Argentina (15-1)
Juan Cruz Mallia; Emiliano Boffelli, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras; Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera; Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti; Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya (capt), Thomas Gallo
Replacements: Agustin Creevy, Joel Sclavi, Eduardo Bello, Matias Alemanno, Pedro Rubiolo, Lautaro Bazan, Nicolas Sanchez, Matias Moroni
Coach: Michael Cheika (AUS)
T.Labbate--LDdC
