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Marcelo Bosch returns to Argentina team for World Cup semi-final

GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25:  Marcelo Bosch of Argentina releases the ball as he is tackled by Vasil Lobzhanidze of Georgia during the 2015 Rugby Wo
Image: Marcelo Bosch of Argentina, releasing the ball, faces Aussies

Argentina have made just one change to their team for Sunday's World Cup semi-final with Australia, with outside centre Marcelo Bosch returning to the team.

Saracens star Bosch, the defensive lynchpin of the Pumas backs, was suspended for the quarter-final, but he wins back his place at the expense of the unfortunate Matias Moroni, who did little wrong in the 43-20 victory over Ireland but drops out of the squad altogether.

Bosch, 31, was handed a one-match ban for a dangerous tackle against Namibia.

There is also one change to the bench with another Saracens star, prop Juan Figallo, who came into the tournament as a late replacement for the injured Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, coming in.

Figallo, who when fit was an automatic first choice for the Pumas in the Rugby Championship, missed out on the original World Cup squad after surgery on damaged knee ligaments.

Juan Pablo Orlandi, the prop called up in his place for the tournament, makes way.

Captain and hooker Agustin Creevy is fit to start the Twickenham showdown after leg trouble forced him out of the second-half against Ireland.

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Saracens prop Juan Figallo has been called up by Argentina
Image: Juan Figallo is named on the Pumas bench

Creevy's potent scrummaging and leadership will hand the Pumas a big boost for their second semi-final in eight years.

Bosch will add steel to Argentina's defensive line, while also offering another goal-kicking option, to back up metronomic fly-half Nicolas Sanchez.

Former Bordeaux and Toulon star Sanchez sits second on the World Cup points-scorer list with 74, just five points behind Scotland's Greig Laidlaw.

Creevy's presence alongside Leicester's big-scrummaging loosehead Marcos Ayerza is sure to worry the Australians, who have lost their scrum anchor Scott Sio.

CARDIFF, WALES - OCTOBER 18: Agustin Creevy of Argentina celebrates victory after the 2015 Rugby World Cup Quarter Final match between Ireland and Argentin
Image: Captain Agustin Creevy has been passed fit

The Pumas will aim to exploit Sio's absence, given his replacement James Slipper does not boast the same kind of scrummaging reputation.

The Pumas' only previous semi-final was in 2007, when they lost 37-13 to eventual champions South Africa in Paris.

Inside centre Juan Martin Hernandez and flanker Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe are the only players from that match to start on Sunday.

Argentina: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Juan Martin Hernandez, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo; 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 3 Ramiro Herrera, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 8 Leonardo Senatore.

Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 23 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino.

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