Contepomi leads Argentina against Wales in Cardiff

Ex-Leinster fly-half Felipe Contepomi leads an experienced Argentina against Wales in Saturday's World Cup warm-up.

The Pumas team for Cardiff includes seven members of the squad that finished third in the last World Cup.

Argentina are without star back Juan Martin Hernandez, out of the World Cup with a knee injury, and centre Gonzalo Tiesi, who is nursing a shoulder knock.

But winger Horacio Agulla, hooker Mario Ledesma and number eight Juan Fernandez Lobbe all start.

This is the first time Argentina's professional players have been together since their European tour last November, when they lost to Ireland and France after beating Italy.

The Pumas have a second warm-up match against Worcester before taking on England and Scotland in their World Cup pool next month.

TEAMS

Wales: L Byrne (Clermont Auvergne); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), G North (Scarlets); J Hook (Perpignan), T Knoyle (Scarlets); P James (Ospreys), R Hibbard (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), A-W Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys, capt).

Replacements: H Bennett (Ospreys), R Bevington (Ospreys), A Powell (Sale Sharks), J Tipuric (Ospreys), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), S Jones (Scarlets), A Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Argentina: Martin Rodriguez; Horacio Agulla, Marcelo Bosch, Santiago Fernandez, Gonzalo Camacho; Felipe Contepomi (capt), Nicolas Vergallo; Rodrigo Roncero, Mario Ledesma, Juan Figallo, Manuel Carizza, Patricio Albacete, Julio Farias Cabello, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Juan Fernandez Lobbe.

Replacements: Agustin Creevy, Martin Scelzo, Mariano Galarza, Alejandro Campos, Alfredo Lalanne, Nicolas Sanchez, Juan Imhoff.