A new chapter in one of Global Rugby’s great rivalries is set to begin. Argentina play host to France in a two match series, the first of which will be played in Mendoza on Saturday. It falls 75 years after intentional competition between Argentina and France began in 1949.
Argentina enter the match with Felipe Contepomi now in charge; the World Cup 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 Puma is now Head Coach. He earned 87 caps as a player. His opposite, Fabien Galthié, earned 64 caps for France and played at Rugby World Cups 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003.
High expectation surrounded Galthié’s Bleus at Rugby World Cup 2023. France opened the tournament against New Zealand and won. Les Bleus got past Uruguay, Namibia and Italy but were eliminated by South Africa in the Quarter Finals.
Argentina’s World Cup pathway started poorly against England but picked-up with good wins over Samoa, Chile, Japan and a Quarter Final win over Wales. The tournament ended with Argentina fourth, a return considered successful when compared to Australia, France, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
The tour represents the start of the new World Cup cycle for Argentina while France started earlier with the 2024 Six Nations. The line-ups named by Contepomi and Galthié do not represented this. On the one hand, Contepomi has opted for continuity. On the other hand, Galthié’s team is utterly different to that from February and March. The World Cup and the late end to the Top 14 season are leading factors.
| NOTES |
- Mendoza plays host to Pumas vs France for the first time. It is the fourth Argentine city to host Los Pumas vs France. The others are Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Tucumán.
- Pablo Matera will earn his 99th cap. He was born in Mendoza.
- Bautista Delguy earns a recall after missing the World Cup. He faced Namibia in 2023.
- Eight of them: Joaquin Ovideo, Jeronimo De la Fuente, Lucas Paulos, Mateo Carreras, Marcos Kremer, Bautista Delguy, Ignacio Ruiz, and Bautista Pedemonte play in France. Martin Bogado has signed for Oyonnax from the Highlanders.
- First Pumas start for Joaquín Oviedo. It comes on the back of a strong season of Perpignan.
- Matías Alemanno starts days after signing a new two-year contract with Gloucester.
- Franco Molina and Bautista Pedemonte will debut for Argentina as replacements.
- 22 of France’s 42 roster members are uncapped.
- Fabien Galthié most capped player is Baptiste Serin with 44 caps who is named captain.
- Georges-Henri Colombe and Lee Barré are only survivors from France’s final Six Nations match.
- Prop Jean-Baptiste Gros is back to start after a long injury.
- Second-rower Baptiste Pesenti will start for the first time since 2021 while flanker Judicael Cancoriet will earn his first cap in six years.
- The match is the debut of Felipe Contepomi as Head Coach. The Hall of Famer defeated France twice at Rugby World Cup 2007. He also played Top 14 rugby for Stade Français and Toulon.
- Argentina will play in the traditional sky-blue and white stripped kits
| PREDICTION |
Neither team is at full-strength; although, France’s line-up is comparatively far more below full-strength than is Contepomi’s Pumas. This is a new French side and it has has limited time together. Contepomi’s line-up is established; all of the starting XV played under Cheika. The weather forecast is encouraging; Mendoza expects a sunny day with mild winds and temperatures. ARN projects Argentina to win by 18+ points.
| LINEUPS |
ARGENTINA
1 Thomas Gallo, Julián Montoya (capt.), 3 Eduardo Bello, 4 Matías Alemanno, 5 Lucas Paulos, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Santiago Carreras, 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Martín Bogado
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Bautista Pedemonte, 21 Lautaro Bazán Vélez, 22 Tomás Albornoz, 23 Matías Orlando
FRANCE
1 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 2 Gaetan Barlot, 3 Georgs-Henri Colombe, 4 Hugo Auradou, 5 Baptiste Pesenti, 6 Judicael Cancoriet, 7 Oscar Jegou, 8 Jordan Joseph, 9 Baptiste Serin (capt.), 10 Antoine Hastoy, 11 Lester Etien, 12 Antoine Frisch, 13 Émilien Gailleton, 14 Théo Attissogbé, 15 Léo Barré
Replacements: 16 Baubigny, 17. S. Taofifenua, 18. Bamba, 19. Tuilagi, 20. Guillard, 21. Nouchi, 22. Couilloud, 23. Jaminet
| MATCH DETAILS |
Date: Saturday, July 06
Venue: Malvinas Argentinas Stadium, (Mendoza, AR)
Kickoff: 4pm (AR); 9pm (FR)
Weather Forecast: Mostly Sunny; 8 (Celsius); Wind 5 km/h
Broadcasts: ESPN; Disney +
| MATCH OFFICIALS |
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
Assistants: Eoghan Cross (Ireland); Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (Argentina)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (53): France 38, Argentina 14, Draw 1, STREAK France +4
2021-11- 06 – France 29, Argentina 20 (Paris, France)
2019-09-21 – France 23, Argentina 21 (Tokyo, Japan)
2018-11-17 – France 28, Argentina 13 (Lille, France)
2016-06-25 – Argentina 0, France 27 (Tucumán, Argentina)
2016-06-19 – Argentina 30, France 19 (Tucumán, Argentina)
2014-11-22 – France 13, Argentina 18 (Paris, France)
2012-11-17 – France 39, Argentina 22 (Lille, France)
2012-06-23 – Argentina 10, France 49 (Tucumán, Argentina)
2012-06-16 – Argentina 23, France 20 (Córdoba, Argentina)
2010-11-20 – France 15, Argentina 09 (Montpellier, France)
2010-06-26 – Argentina 46, France 13 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2008-11-08 – France 12, Argentina 06 (Marseille, France)
2007-10-19 – France 10, Argentina 34 (Paris, France)
2007-09-07 – France 12, Argentina 17 (Paris, France)
2006-11-25 – France 27, Argentina 26 (Paris, France)
2004-11-20 – France 14, Argentina 24 (Marseille, France)
2003-06-20 – Argentina 10, France 06 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2003-06-14 – Argentina 33, France 32 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2002-06-15 – Argentina 28, France 27 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1999-10-24 – France 47, Argentina 26 (Dublin, Ireland)
1998-11-14 – France 34, Argentina 14 (Nantes, France)
1998-06-20 – Argentina 12, France 37 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1998-06-13 – Argentina 18, France 35 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1997-10-26 – France 23, Argentina 27 (Tarbes, France)
1996-06-29 – Argentina 15, France 34 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1996-06-22 – Argentina 27, France 34 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1995-10-21 – Argentina 12, France 47 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1992-11-14 – France 20, Argentina 24 (Nantes, France)
1992-07-11 – Argentina 09, France 33 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1992-07-04 – Argentina 12, France 27 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1988-11-11 – France 28, Argentina 18 (Lille, France)
1988-11-05 – France 29, Argentina 09 (Nantes, France)
1988-06-05 – Argentina 18, France 06 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1988-06-18 – Argentina 15, France 18 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1986-06-07 – Argentina 09, France 22 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1986-05-31 – Argentina 15, France 13 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1985-06-29 – Argentina 15, France 23 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1985-06-22 – Argentina 24, France 16 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1982-11-20 – France 13, Argentina 06 (Paris, France)
1982-11-14 – France 25, Argentina 12 (Toulouse, France)
1977-07-02 – Argentina 18, France 18 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1977-06-25 – Argentina 03, France 26 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1975-10-25 – France 36, Argentina 21 (Paris, France)
1975-10-19 – France 19, Argentina 06 (Lyon, France)
1974-06-29 – Argentina 27, France 31 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1974-06-20 – Argentina 15, France 20 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1960-08-17 – Argentina 06, France 29 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1960-08-06 – Argentina 03, France 12 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1960-07-23 – Argentina 03, France 37 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1954-09-12 – Argentina 03, France 30 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1954-08-29 – Argentina 08, France 22 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1949-09-04 – Argentina 03, France 12 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1949-08-28 – Argentina 00, France 05 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
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