(Reuters) - Juan Martin Hernandez will be back in action for Argentina following cartilage surgery after he was one of three changes made to side by coach Daniel Hourcade for their test against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
Hernandez, a veteran of four World Cups, comes in for Jeronimo de la Fuente, who played in last weekend’s 54-20 win over Japan in Tokyo, in the side announced on Thursday.
Ramiro Moyano was named on the left wing in place of Santiago Cordero, while Pablo Matera replaces Tomas Lezana in the back row.
De la Fuente is rested while Cordero, who scored two tries in Tokyo, and Lezana drop down to the bench.
“We are welcoming back two key players, ‘Juani' (Hernandez), who has recovered from his surgery, and Pablo, who needed a break after a very intense year,” Hourcade said.
Both players were spared the trip to Japan, joining the squad in Britain directly from Buenos Aires. Hernandez damaged a knee cartilage against the All Blacks in September and missed their last three Rugby Championship matches.
Hourcade told the team’s website (wwwlospumas.com.ar) they were expecting a fierce contest against a Welsh side who have lost their last five tests including last Saturday’s 32-8 defeat by Australia.
“We’re expecting a wounded Wales… a great team who are going through a tough spell and who on Saturday have the opportunity to turn around that situation,” he said.
“Wales will play every ball as if it were the last and try to close the game down and we have to try to avoid that and move the ball about.”
The match is the second of Argentina’s November tour which also includes meeting Scotland at Murrayfield on Nov. 19 and England at Twickenham a week later.
The last time the Pumas played at the Principality Stadium they beat Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-finals.
Team: 15-Joaquin Tuculet, 14-Matias Moroni, 13-Matias Orlando, 12-Juan Martin Hernandez, 11-Ramiro Moyano, 10-Nicolas Sanchez, 9-Martin Landajo, 8-Facundo Isa, 7-Javier Ortega Desio, 6-Pablo Matera, 5-Matias Alemanno, 4-Guido Petti, 3-Ramiro Herrera, 2-Agustin Creevy, 1-Lucas Noguera
Replacements: 16-Julian Montoya, 17-Santiago Garcia Botta, 18-Enrique Pieretto, 19-Leonardo Senatore, 20-Tomas Lezana, 21-Tomas Cubelli, 22-Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23-Santiago Cordero