Elias earns first call-up to Argentina squad to meet All Blacks

Argentina have handed a first call-up to Efrain Elias and recalled six players to their 31-man squad for their opening two games of the Rugby Championship in New Zealand next month.

Coach Felipe Contepomi recalled Lucio Cinti, Agustin Creevy, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Tomas Lavanini, Juan Cruz Mallia and Joel Sclavi to the squad after they missed the two-match test series against France earlier this month, the Argentine Rugby Union said on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old Elias, a two metre tall lock forward, captained Argentina’s team at the World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa this month.

Centre Jeronimo de la Fuente, who won his 80th cap against France, has been left out for personal reasons.

“We now have the enormous challenge of starting a new Rugby Championship and continuing to build and evolve as a team,” said Contepomi in a statement.

“For the first two matches against New Zealand we have chosen 31 players but something important to highlight is that this list is not definitive for the rest of the competition but may be modified as the tournament progresses.”

Argentina take on the All Blacks in Wellington on August 10 and then again in Auckland one week later.

They then return home for two tests against Australia and one against South Africa before finishing their fixtures away against the World Cup winners in Nelspruit in late September.

Squad:

Backs: Tomas Albornoz, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Gonzalo Bertranou, Martin Bogado, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Santiago Chocobares, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Cordero, Bautista Delguy, Gonzalo Garcia, Juan Cruz Mallia, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando

Forwards: Eduardo Bello, Agustin Creevy, Efrain Elias, Thomas Gallo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Tomas Lavanini, Pablo Matera, Franco Molina, Julian Montoya, Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Bautista Pedemonte, Pedro Rubiolo, Ignacio Ruiz, Joel Sclavi, Lucio Sordoni, Mayco Vivas.