Pumas welcome back Contepomi and Leguizamon

Felipe Contepomi and Juan Manuel Leguizamon have been recalled to Argentina’s starting XV to play Scotland on Saturday.

The Pumas are to host two Tests against Andy Robinson’s side, with the first taking place in Tucuman before a second in Mar del Plata a week later.

Contepomi missed the entire 2009 international campaign due to a cruciate ligament injury in his left knee but returns to captain the side from fly-half.

Leguizamon, meanwhile, missed last November’s tour of Britain, which included two defeats – 16-9 to England and 33-16 to Wales – and a narrow 9-6 win over Scotland in Edinburgh.

Number eight Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe is relishing the prospect of playing in front of a sold-out Estadio Monumental Jose Fierro, and said: “This is my first time in Tucuman and I’ve felt the people’s love since we arrived at the airport.

“We are anxiously looking forward to the Scotland match on Saturday. We’ve prepared ourselves very well in the physical aspects and worked a lot on technical points. I think we are in good form and we’ll get to the match day in good condition.”

Argentina team to play Scotland on June 12 in Tucuman: M Rodriguez-Gurruchaga; L Borges, G Tiesi, S Fernandez, H Agulla; F Contepomi (captain), A Lalanne; R Roncero, M Ledesma, M Scelzo, M Carizza, P Albacete, G Fessia, JM Leguizamon, JM Fernandez Lobbe.

Replacements: A Creevy, M Ayerza, M Galarza, A Campos, A Figuerola, I Mieres, L Gonzalez-Amorosino.