Pumas desperate to topple Aussies

POINTLESS Argentina need a Rugby Championship win over Australia in Mendoza today to avoid the 2017 campaign being the worst since they joined the competition five years ago.

After five consecutive losses to South Africa, New Zealand and away to Australia, Los Pumas are doomed to finish bottom of the table a fifth time.

But during two previous winless seasons, Argentina secured losing bonus points that have eluded them this year.

A losing bonus point is awarded in the southern hemisphere championship to a team that is beaten by less than eight points.

“It is true that we are battling to achieve victories,” conceded veteran number eight, Juan Manuel Leguizamon after a 36-10 defeat by New Zealand in Buenos Aires last weekend.

“However, no other group of rugby players in the world are playing Super Rugby for six months followed almost immediately by Tests.

“It is a very difficult situation but offers us the opportunity to face some of the best teams in the world virtually every weekend.”

Argentine national team players compete in Super Rugby as the Jaguares then morph into Pumas come the Test windows.

In Mendoza, Creevy leads a team showing four changes to that which started against the All Blacks and were run ragged during the opening half before improving dramatically.

In the lone change made by coach Daniel Hourcade among the backs, Martin Landajo replaces injured Tomas Cubelli at scrumhalf.

In a back-row shuffle, flanker Tomas Lezana switches to number eight in place of Leguizamon with Javier Ortega Desio drafted in.

Australia have retained the side that began a 27-27 draw in South Africa – the first time the same runon team has been chosen for successive Tests since Michael Cheika became coach in 2014. — AFP