Argentina 39-man provisional squad for the World Cup

39-man provisional Argentina squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Juan Martín Hernández will instead remain with Racing Métro to continue his recovery with them rather than join the Pumas squad at a two-week physical training camp in Florida next month.

Name	Position	Caps	Club	Club Country
Agustín Creevy	Hooker	10	San Luis	Argentina
Eusebio Guiñazú	Hooker	14	Biarritz	France
Mario Ledesma	Hooker	77	Clermont	France
Marcos Ayerza	Prop	32	Leicester Tigers	England
Andres Bordoy	Prop	0	La Rochelle	France
Maximiliano Bustos	Prop	0	Univ. of Santa Fe	Argentina
Juan Figallo	Prop	3	Montpellier	France
Rodrigo Roncero	Prop	43	Stade Français	France
Martín Scelzo	Prop	53	Clermont	France
Patricio Albacete	Lock	40	Toulouse	France
Manuel Carizza	Lock	18	Biarritz	France
Mariano Galarza	Lock	5	Univ. of La Plata	Argentina
Santiago Guzmán	Lock	2	Tucumán	Argentina
Tomas Vallejos	Lock	0	Harlequins	England
Alejandro Campos	Flanker	10	Agen	France
Julio Farías Cabello	Flanker	2	Tucumán	Argentina
Genaro Fessia	Flanker	11	Córdoba	Argentina
Alvaro Galindo	Flanker	11	Racing Métro	France
Juan Manuel Leguizamón	Flanker	33	Stade Français	France
Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe	Number 8	39	Toulon	France
Leonardo Senatore	Number 8	2	GER	Argentina

Name	Position	Caps	Club	Club Country
Agustín Figuerola	Scrum-half	7	Brive	France
Alfredo Lalanne	Scrum-half	7	London Irish	England
Nicolás Vergallo	Scrum-half	17	Toulouse	France
Felipe Contepomi (c)	Fly-half	70	Toulon	France
Nicolás Sánchez	Fly-half	2	Tucumán Lawn Tennis	Argentina
Gabriel Azcarate	Centre	3	Natación	Argentina
Marcelo Bosch	Centre	4	Biarritz	France
Rafael Carballo	Centre	9	Bordeaux	France
Santiago Fernández	Centre	12	Montpellier	France
Gonzalo Tiesi	Centre	29	Stade Français	France
Horacio Agulla	Wing	28	Leicester Tigers	England
Lucas Borges	Wing	33	Albi	France
Martín Bustos Moyano	Wing	1	Montpellier	France
Gonzalo Camacho	Wing	6	Harlequins	England
Agustin Gosio	Wing	0	Newman	Argentina
Juan Jose Imhoff	Wing	3	Duendes	Argentina
Lucas González Amorosino	Fullback	10	Leicester Tigers	England
Martín Rodríguez	Fullback	9	Stade Français	France

They look strong, however I don't think they will do nearly as well as at the 2007 RWC. Their game against Scotland will decide who progresses to the quarter-final. Scotland have beaten them in recent years but I feel the Pumas will be much better prepared and show their class. Their pack is very good and they have some talented backs, however I feel they lack the cutting edge. Agustín Pichot and Ignacio Corleto have never really been replaced.

What do you think?

A good squad and I actually think possesses more talent than the 2007 edition but that side had been together a long time and had built a great understanding with each other.

What I'm keeping an eye on is will they play Moyano on the wing for his kicking capabilities and allow Contepomi not to be weighed down with that pressure.

I hope Lobbe can pick up after a low key season. In my opinion, he is one of the top backrowers in the world with a skill set that matches that of Parisse in my opinion. He will be key to leading this forward pack not the front row that has done so in the past.

Oh and while Hernandez has been left out of this squad, he will be reassessed closer to the time to see if he is fit enough to go to the World Cup.