WELLINGTON, 22 Sept. – Argentina are pinning their hopes on having their inspirational captain Felipe Contepomi back for Sunday’s Pool B match against Scotland at Wellington Regional Stadium.
The fly half had not touched a ball in 11 days since going off with a rib injury in the Pumas’ 13-9 defeat to England in their opening match, in which his side sorely missed his goalkicking.
While he did not engage in any contact training with his teammates on Wednesday, he was sufficiently comfortable practising his kicking.
Contepomi, who has played just 25 minutes so far in this tournament, said he was pleased with his progress: “I’m putting in the work day by day, increasing the intensity in terms of the physical strain.”
The big test, however, will come at a training session on Friday, during which he will wear special protection that is manufactured in New Zealand and used frequently by the All Blacks.
Good of the team
“I will use this protection and see if I will be fit to play,” he said. “I think I’ll get there, I dream of getting there. I imagine the game out there on the field, but I’m a realist and I know that until I put it to the test on Friday, I won’t know.
“I have to leave my personal ambitions aside for the good of everyone, for the good of the team.
“I have full confidence in whoever will play in the end, because all 30 of us are prepared to play any game. That makes my decision over whether I will be able to play or not a lot easier. A team are solid when you get that feeling.”
If he is fit, Contepomi, who came through his goalkicking session without feeling any serious discomfort, will take over as fly half from Lucas González Amorosino.
In the forwards, Julio Farías Cabello will return to the XV, although Alejandro Campos’s recovery is proving to be slower than expected and Genaro Fessia might make the bench.
In the backs, Santiago Fernández and Marcelo Bosch are likely to start as centres, with Horacio Agulla, Gonzalo Camacho and Martin Rodríguez behind them.
RNS jcc/gb/mj/mr
