Rugby:Argentina received a monumental blow ahead of the forthcoming World Cup in Zealand with the news that Juan Martin Hernandez will miss the tournament after failing to recover from an injury to his right knee.
Affectionately known as ‘The Magician,’ the outhalf cum fullback was a mainstay in securing a third place finish for the Pumas in the 2007 global tournament in France. Argentina coach Santiago Phelan today unveiled his 30-man player list to play in New Zealand and confirmed Hernandez will not be there.
The player suffered his injury in March, playing for French club side Racing Metro against Bourgoin. He underwent surgery and began an intensive rehabilitation process in the hope of recovering in time for the World Cup.
Phelan cut nine other players from his provisional squad: Agustin Figuerola, Genaro Fessia, Lucas Borges, Martin Bustos Moyano, Eusebio Guinazu, Rafael Carballo, Santiago Guzman, Andres Bordoy and Gabriel Ascarate. Bordoy and Ascarate will travel with the squad for their warm-up Test against Wales in Cardiff on August 20th, to provide back-up in case of injuries.
Former Leinster and current Stade Francais outhalf Felipe Contepomi is likely to captain the Pumas while another player to have spent time with the Irish province, secondrow Mariano Galarza has made the cut alongside familiar names like Rodrigo Roncero, Leicester duo Horacio Agulla and Marcos Ayerza. Gnarled veteran Mario Ledesma will also travel.
Argentina will play Wales at the Millennium Stadium before starting their World Cup campaign against England on September 10th in Dunedin.
Argentina World Cup squad:Horacio Agulla, Patricio Albacete, Marcos Ayerza, Marcelo Bosh, Maximiliano Bustos, Gonzalo Camacho, Alejandro Campos, Manuel Carizza, Felipe Contepomi, Agustin Creevy, Julio Farias Cabello, Juan Fernandez Lobbe, Santiago Fernandez, Juan Figallo, Mariano Galarza, Alvaro Galindo, Lucas Gonzalez Ambrosio, Agustin Gosio, Juan Imhoff, Alfredo Lalanne, Mario Ledesma, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Martin Rodriguez, Rodrigo Roncero, Federico Sanchez, Martin Scelzo, Leonardo Senatore, Gonzalo Tiesi, Tomas Vallejos, Nicolas Vergallo.
