Pumas call on Mariano

BRISTOL’S Mariano Sambucetti is the only foreign-based player to have been selected in Argentina’s 22-man squad to face Samoa in Buenos Aires on December 3.

After Saturday’s impressive 23-19 win over Scotland in Edinburgh - with a Pumas squad containing 20 European-based players - coach Marcelo Loffreda’s team travel to Italy to face Pierre Berbizier’s Azzurri side this weekend.

The Pumas then return to Argentina, minus the likes of captain Agustin Pichot (Stade Francais) and Felipe Contepomi (Leinster), to face Samoa two weeks later.