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Australia make one change for Argentina match in Rugby Championship

Rob Simmons starts for Australia against Argentina for the first time since their Championship defeat to New Zealand on August 20
Image: Rob Simmons starts for Australia against Argentina for the first time since their Championship defeat to New Zealand on August 20

Australia have made just one change to their team for their Rugby Championship meeting with Argentina in Perth on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 3 HD from 10.45am.

Lock Rob Simmons returns to the side as the Wallabies look to build on a 23-17 win in South Africa last weekend which ended a six-match losing run.

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Simmons will replace Kane Douglas and will partner Adam Coleman in the second row in what will be the sixth lock combination used by coach Michael Cheika in 2016.

Drew Mitchell has been replaced in the Australia squad by Henry Speight, with Cheika saying the winger is still building match fitness.

Instead of featuring in this Test, he is expected to challenge for a start in the forthcoming away fixtures in South Africa and Argentina instead.

Michael Cheika coach of the Wallabies during an Australian Wallabies training session at Central Coast Stadium on August 1
Image: Michael Cheika is looking for his Australia side to build on their win over South Africa against Argentina

The visitors, meanwhile, have made four changes to their team, with Juan Manuel Leguizamon coming back in at blindside flanker.

He missed the 57-22 defeat to Championship leaders New Zealand in Hamilton last week with a leg injury but is fit enough to play again.

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Coach Daniel Hourcade was forced into making two changes due to injuries to centre Juan Martin Hernandez and lock Guido Petti.

Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias replaces Hernandez at inside centre alongside Matias Moroni, who moves in from the wing to complete the midfield partnership.

Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino comes in for Moroni out wide, while centre Matias Orlando drops to the bench.

Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade
Image: Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade has made four changes to his side for the match in Perth

Javier Ortega Desio, who stood in for Leguizamon in the back row last week, moves to lock in place of Petti.

Hourcade has also dropped scrum-half Martin Landajo to the bench to allow Tomas Cubelli, who plays his Super Rugby in Australia with the ACT Brumbies, a first start since last year's World Cup.

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Bernard Foley, 11 Reece Hodge, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 1 Scott Sio, 2 Stephen Moore (capt), 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Rob Simmons, 5 Adam Coleman, 6 Dean Mumm, 7 Michael Hooper, 8 David Pocock.

Replacements (one to be omitted): Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Tom Robertson, Rory Arnold, Lopeti Timani, Sean McMahon, Nick Phipps, Tevita Kuridrani, Henry Speight.

Argentina: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 11 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustin Creevy, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 4 Javier Ortega Desio, 5 Matias Alemanno, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 8 Facundo Isa.

Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Gabriel Ascarate, 23 Matias Orlando.

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