Now that Felipe Contepomi’s Argentina are up and running thanks to their win over France last week, they’ll look to further hone their playing philosophy against a brave Uruguayan outfit at the Estadio Domingo Burgueno on Saturday.
Uruguay v Argentina
Saturday 20 July 2024 | 21:00
Estadio Domingo Burgueno, Maldonado
A brave Uruguayan outfit will face off against Argentina on Saturday evening, with the visitors having found their feet against a third-string French outfit last week, without really impressing. Shaun Goosen previews.
To Win Match
Uruguay 12/1 | Draw 40/1 | Argentina 1/50
Handicap
Uruguay (+25.5) 9/10 | Argentina (-25.5) 9/10
Los Pumas followed up their season-opening 13-28 defeat to the French in Mendoza with a much-improved 33-25 win in last week’s second Test in Buenos Aires. While there will be plenty to improve upon from those performances if they are to be genuinely competitive in the Rugby Championship, Contepomi’s men will take heart from what was their first victory over Les Blues since 2016.
In a Rugby Championship campaign that sees Argentina face the All Blacks away from home twice, it’s imperative the squad makes the most of this weekend’s clash in Maldonado ahead of their first encounter with the Rugby World Cup silver-medallists in Wellington on 10 August.
25-year-old Benetton prop Thomas Gallo scored twice in 10-minutes for the Argentines last week and he, alongside newly minted Test centurion Pablo Matera, will have big roles to play as part of a forward pack seeking to steel themselves for the might of New Zealand and South Africa.
Uruguay are currently ranked 17th in the world and head into this one off the back of a 28-43 loss to France in Montevideo last week – the team’s first hit-out since their performances at the World Cup. They showed again at the global showpiece that they are an ever-improving rugby nation, but they should be far off Argentina’s level on Saturday.
Verdict: Argentina (-25.5) 9/10
The visitors to put Uruguay to the sword.
