Rees-Zammit moves to full-back as Wales include three new players for Pumas
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 03: Louis Rees-Zammit of British and Irish Lions runs with the ball on his way to score his team's first try during the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour match between Sigma Lions and British & Irish Lions at Emirates Airline Park on July 03, 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Wales have made three changes in personnel to the team thumped 55-23 by New Zealand as his looks to bounce back against a high-flying Argentina side.
The headline change sees Louis Rees-Zammit‘s switch to full-back, a position where he has minimal professional experience, shifting Gareth Anscombe into fly-half and Rhys Priestland to the bench.
In Rees-Zammit’s vacant role on the right wing, Alex Cuthbert is named after returning from injury, whilst Tommy Refell’s injury sees Dan Lydiate come into the back row with skipper Justin Tipuric shifting to the openside.
The final change simply sees Dillon Lewis come in for Tomas Francis at tighthead prop, with the latter having something of a knock after last week’s match, according to coach Wayne Pivac.
He said: “Dillon had done well in South Africa.
“This is probably the last opportunity to give guys starts and learn as much as we can. Both Dillon and Dan Lydiate have trained well.
“There are some changes among the replacements. There are some niggles that players pick up in games and in training, so some guys have been left out to get themselves 100% right for next week.”
Meanwhile Argentina have not made a change to their starting XV that beat England at Twickenham last Saturday, and Pivac was preparing for what he anticipated being a tough battle against the South Americans.
“We saw last week what Argentina are capable of,” he added.
“They’re a very big team, very strong up front. They have expanded their attacking game and they took an excellent try against England from the set play.
“They’ve knocked over some big scalps in the last 18 months, New Zealand being one of them.
“They are going to be a big challenge but one we’re looking forward to. After last week’s performance we need a reaction from our team.”
Wales: Rees-Zammit; Cuthbert, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Anscombe, T Williams; G Thomas, Owens, D Lewis, Beard, Rowlands, Lydiate, Tipuric (capt), Faletau.
Replacements: Elias, R Jones, S Wainwright, Carter, Morgan, Hardy, Priestland, Watkin.
Argentina: Mallia; M Carreras, Moroni, De la Fuente, Boffelli; S Carreras, Bertranou; Gallo, Montoya (capt), Gomez Kodela, Alemanno, Lavanini, Gonzalez, Kremer, Matera.
Replacements: Ruiz, Tetaz Chaparro, Bello, Paulos, Isa, Morales, Talbornoz, M Orlando.
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