Watch Argentina vs Australia in the Rugby Championship live on Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports Main Event from 8am on Saturday
Thursday 30 September 2021 16:25, UK
We look ahead to Saturday's Rugby Championship clash between Argentina and Australia, live on Sky Sports Mix and Main Event...
The headline news ahead of this clash sees six Argentina players and two staff members expelled from the Rugby Championship for breaching tournament health rules.
The competition is being held under strict protocols with restricted travel because of coronavirus cases in Queensland.
The group, including former Pumas captain Pablo Matera, broke the rules by taking an unauthorised trip to the popular beachside town of Byron Bay in the neighbouring state of New South Wales.
According to the Argentina rugby union (UAR), the group also comprised Sebastian Cancelliere, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Felipe Ezcurra, Santiago Medrano and Santiago Socino, plus team manager Lucas Chioccarelli and video analyst Rodrigo Martinez.
Tournament governing body Sanzaar said in a statement: "Sanzaar has informed Argentina Rugby that all members of this group are now ineligible to participate further in the Rugby Championship as they have breached tournament rules.
"Sanzaar is very disappointed that such a breach has occurred given the clear rules that are in place to ensure the health and safety of all players and staff, and compliance with all relevant health orders."
SANZAAR also ruled that with Argentina having 44 players on tour, the Test against Australia would go ahead without the ineligible players.
Earlier in this year's Rugby Championship, coach Mario Ledesma complained his team had been "disrespected" after being left out of a captains' photo shoot and said no one cared about the welfare of his players, who have been unable to play a Test at home in two years due to COVID-19.
Argentina are yet to win a game in the competition this year, having lost all five Tests to date.
Australia coach Dave Rennie has granted leave to winger Marika Koroibete and prop Allan Alaalatoa, whose departure paves the way for 38-year-old tighthead Greg Holmes to become the oldest player to represent the Wallabies in a Test since World War Two.
It will be a case of 'back to the future' in the back-row too, with Sean McMahon set for his first Test in four years if sprung from the bench.
After opening the tournament with heavy defeats to the All Blacks, Australia have been transformed by the return of seasoned campaigners, bringing hope to fans two years out from the 2023 World Cup in France.
"We're certainly a very fit side now and we've got genuine competition for places," Rennie said on Thursday.
"But respect is earned daily...We've got to front up again."
Of Holmes' call-up, Rennie added: "There was a massive roar from the lads because he's such a popular character.
"It's not a sentimental selection. We think he can do a job for us."
Holmes met coach Rennie in Perth earlier in the tournament to ask if he could come to the Wallabies camp to take notes for when he moves into coaching.
Rennie later rang to ask him to come to Queensland as a player.
"It's pretty amazing. It almost feels like it's my first cap again," Holmes told media. "All of a sudden they need someone to fill in...Hopefully Taniela [Tupou] can't get through the 80 minutes.
"My body is going really good," said Holmes. "I'm reasonably strong and feel like my scrummaging is going pretty well."
The 27-year-old McMahon has been playing for Suntory in Japan's domestic competition after leaving Super Rugby's Melbourne Rebels at the end of 2017, with his last Test against Scotland in late November that year.
McMahon was a member of the Wallabies squad that reached the 2015 World Cup final but the move to Japan initially made him ineligible for Australian selection.
Brought back into the Wallabies fold by Rennie, McMahon could be taken on Australia's tour of Britain for Tests against Scotland, England and Wales on consecutive weekends in November as well as Japan on October 23 en route.
He may also be eligible for selection for the next Rugby World Cup in France despite being contracted in Japan until the beginning of 2023.
Darcy Swain and Pete Samu have also been elevated to the starting lineup after strong performances from the bench in last week's win.
Swain will partner Izack Rodda as Matt Philip reverts to the bench while Samu moves onto the blindside flank in the back-row with skipper Michael Hooper and No 8 Rob Valetini.
"Pete's been outstanding for us coming on as a replacement in the past few Tests and has earned his opportunity to show what he's capable of from the kick-off this weekend," Rennie said.
"Both Greg [Holmes] and Sean [McMahon] have worked extremely hard on the field and around their detail off the field."
Argentina have named prop Enrique Pieretto as a replacement for Medrano and back-row Rodrigo Bruni for Matera in a reshuffled side for Saturday's Rugby Championship Test.
The group of six players and two staff members who broke Covid rules tried to re-enter Queensland but were turned back by police for lacking required documentation and had to stay at a hotel in New South Wales overnight.
SANZAAR said they would remain in the state until rejoining the squad on Sunday before leaving Australia.
"All are in perfect health, staying in a hotel in the area, waiting for their condition to be resolved," the UAR said, adding it was a "top priority" to bring them back to camp.
"In parallel, an internal process has begun to clarify what happened and determine the corresponding responsibilities."
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou; 1 Rodrigo Martinez, 2 Julian Montoya, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Rodrigo Bruni.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Francisco Gorrissen, 21 Gonzalo Garcia, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Mateo Carreras.
Australia: 15 Reece Hodge, 14 Jordan Petaia, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Andrew Kellaway, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Nic White; 1 James Slipper, 2 Folau Fainga'a, 3 Taniela Tupou, 4 Izack Rodda, 5 Darcy Swain, 6 Pete Samu, 7 Michael Hooper, 8 Rob Valetini.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Sean McMahon, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 James O'Connor, 23 Tom Wright.
