Pumas bench confirmed

Argentina coach Santiago Phelan has announced his replacements for Saturday's Rugby Championship clash against New Zealand in Wellington.

Phelan has opted for a 5-2 split bench with Martin Landajo and Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino covering the backline. Agustin Creevy enters the fray ahead of Bruno Postiglioni and Juan Pablo Orlandi is recalled as the Pumas gear up for a physical confrontation at Westpac Stadium.

Phelan admitted that the visitors will be in for a tough challenge but said the tournament "is very good for us."   

‘This championship is not the World Cup but the level of toughness is bigger because at the World Cup you don't have each game against the best teams in the world and you don't have this travel," said Phelan.

"We want to grow up like a team. We want to improve our play with the ball, our attack system, our organisation in defence and keep developing players at this level - to play with the intensity that New Zealand and Australia, South Africa play at.”

Argentina: 15 Martin Rodriguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (captain), 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.

Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19 Leonardo Senatore, 20 Tomás Leonardi, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino.

Date: Saturday, September 8

Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Kick-off: 19.35 (04.35 Arg time; 07.35 GMT)

Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), James Leckie (Australia)

TMO: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)