Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade said he was expecting another hard-fought Test against Scotland after naming his side for Saturday’s one-off international in Edinburgh.
The Pumas begin their tour of Europe buoyed by a maiden Rugby Championship win over Australia last month but having suffered a 21-19 defeat by Scotland when the teams last met in Cordoba in June.
“It’s going to be a tough battle. We are going to try to impose our style and if we succeed, things should go well,” Hourcade said after unveiling his side on Thursday.
“We had a good Rugby Championship, there were obviously things to improve but we need to maintain the level, particularly against teams that play differently, with a slower game. Whoever imposes his style, will surely win.”
Argentina centre Juan Martin Hernandez is set to win his 50th cap this weekend while lock Juan Cruz Guillemain will be making his Test debut.
In all there are four survivors in the starting XV from the team beaten by Scotland in June — wing Manuel Montero, fly-half Nicolas Sanchez and flankers Rodrigo Baez and Javier Ortega Desio.
Saturday’s match will be the 18th Test between Argentina and Scotland, with the Pumas having won 10 and the Scots seven with their last meeting in Edinburgh seeing the South Americans win 9-6 in 2009.
Argentina (15-1)
Joaquin Tuculet, Juan Imhoff, Marcelo Bosch, Juan Martin Hernandez, Manuel Montero; Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo; Leonardo Senatore, Javier Ortega Desio, Rodrigo Baez; Juan Cruz Gullemain, Tomas Lavanini; Ramiro Herrera, Agustin Creevy (capt), Marcos Ayerza
Replacements: Matias Cortese, Lucas Noguera Paz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Lucas Ponce, Facundo Isa, Tomas Cubelli Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Horacio Agulla