Argentina bring their stars back for Ireland

Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade has named Martin Landajo to win his 50th cap for the Pumas on Sunday when they face Six Nations champions Ireland.

Twenty-seven-year-old Landajo made his international debut in 2008 and has been recalled along with a group of other first choice starters who were rested last week.

Landajo will be partnered in the halfbacks by Nicolas Sanchez as the Pumas bid to reach the semi-finals for the second time — they beat an out of sorts Ireland in the pool stage on their way to the 2007 semis.

Veteran Juan Martin Hernandez – known as the ‘The Magician’ – moves into the centres to accomodate Sanchez and the 33-year-old needs just one drop goal to move into third on the all-time World Cup list.

The Irish will be especially wary of him as he landed three drop goals in the 2007 encounter.

Coach Daniel Hourcade’s only selection headache was the absence of experienced centre Marcelo Bosch, who is suspended for a week because of a tip tackle he committed minutes after coming on as a replacement in the Namibia match.

Hernandez, lock Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and prop Marcos Ayerza all played in the 2007 third place match — a victory over hosts France for a second time in the tournament — with hooker Agustin Creevy captaining the side.

Argentina

Joaquin Tuculet; Santiago Cordero, Matias Moroni, Juan Martin Hernandez, Juan Imhoff; Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo; Leonardo Senatore, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Pablo Matera; Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti; Ramiro Herrera, Agustin Creevy (capt), Marcos Ayerza

Replacements: Julian Montoya, Lucas Noguera, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Matias Alemanno, Facundo Isa, Tomas Cubelli, Jeronimo De La Fuente, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino