Loffreda leaves well alone

Captain Hood: Agustín Pichot is fit and will lead out Argentina

Captain Hood: Agustín Pichot is fit and will lead out Argentina

Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda has kept faith with the XV that beat Scotland for Sunday's semi-final clash with South Africa at Stade de France.

There had been fitness concerns over Agustín Pichot, Juan Martín Hernández, Felipe Contepomi and Ignacio Corleto, but all four players are included in the starting side.

The only change comes on the bench with Gonzalo Tiesi returning from a knock to oust Hernán Senillosa.

Argentina, in their first World Cup semi-final, will be looking to beat the Springboks for the first time having lost all 11 of their Test matches since their initial meeting in Buenos Aires in 1993.

South Africa are looking to reach the final for the second time and claim back the title they won at home in 1995.

Argentina: 15 Ignacio Corleto, 14 Lucas Borges, 13 Manuel Contepomi, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Agustín Pichot (c), 8 Gonzalo Longo, 7 Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe, 6 Lucas Ostiglia, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Carlos Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Juan Martín Scelzo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17 Omar Hasan, 18 Rimas Álvarez Kairelis, 19 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 20 Nicolás Fernandez Miranda, 21 Federico Todeschini, 22 Gonzalo Tiesi.

Date: Sunday, 14 October
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 21.00 (20.00 BST; 19.00 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Alain Lewis (Ireland), Chris White (England)
Television match official: Tony Spreadbury (England)
Touch judges 3 & 4: Joël Jutge (France), Wayne Barnes (England)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)