BUENOS AIRES :Flyhalf Tomas Albornoz returns to the Pumas squad for the final two Rugby Championship matches against South Africa after missing their last two tests in Australia, the Argentine Rugby Union said.
The 27-year-old was forced to leave the field early after dislocating a finger in Argentina’s 29-23 victory over New Zealand in Buenos Aires on August 23, which was the Pumas’ first-ever home win over the All Blacks.
Santiago Carreras deputised for Albornoz, who is moving from Benetton in Italy to French club Toulon on a two-year contract French newspaper Midi Olympique reported on Monday.
Argentina lost 28-24 to the Wallabies in Townsville on September 6 but turned the tables with a 28-26 victory in Sydney last weekend and have a chance to win the Southern Hemisphere championship for the first time.
Each of the four teams have two wins and two defeats, and are separated only by bonus points.
The Pumas are next up against South Africa in Durban on September 27 and then “host” the Springboks at Twickenham in London on October 4.
Albornoz’s return means Nicolas Roger drops out of the squad while hooker Leonel Oviedo has been included for the trip to South Africa with loosehead prop Ignacio Calles missing out through injury, a statement said.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
