Italy vs Argentina Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2024 Autumn Internationals
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We have some blockbuster matches filled with Autumn internationals this weekend and Italy versus Argentina could well be one of the more underrated matches on Saturday
Start date/time: Saturday 9th November, 2024, UK – 5:40pm / US ET – 12:40pm / US PT – 9:40am
How to watch on tv: UK – TNT Sports 2 / US – Peacock
How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Peacock
Italy Form: Azzurri aiming to end 2024 in style
This is a good test for the Azzurri and they will take confidence from a number of good results and performances this year. They have registered wins over Japan, Tonga, Wales and Scotland while they managed a draw with France. They will see this as a great opportunity to get another win against a strong team.
LAST FIVE: WWLWW
Argentina form: Inconsistent Pumas hoping good version turns up
It has been an eventful year for the Pumas and one they will consider to be a successful one and rightly so. They have picked up wins over France, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa but have then suffered so heavy losses. Maintaining levels of consistency have been hard, but on their day, they have shown they can mix it with the best in the world.
LAST FIVE: LLWWL
Italy Team News:Tommaso Allan returns to international duty after eight months
Tommaso Allan returns to international duty after eight months away due to personal reasons and his return will be well received by the Italians. Otherwise, this is an experienced Italy squad with no major surprises and they will look to end 2024 with a positive performance.
Line-up: 15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-relo, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1 Mirco Spagnolo
Replacements: 16 Giacomo Nicotera, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Dino Lamb, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Alessandro Garbisi, 22 Tommaso Allan, 23 Marco Zanon
Argentina Team News: Wholesale changes for the Pumas due to injuries
Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi has been forced into making wholesale changes to the backs in particular as they are somewhat decimated by injuries. From the side that lost to South Africa in September in the Rugby Championship decider, only Tomas Albornoz and Rodrigo Isgro keep their places with a string of players unavailable due to injury.
Line-up: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Bautista Delguy, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Santiago Grondona, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 19 Matias Alemmano, 20 Bautista Pedemonte, 21 Gonzalo Garcia, 22 Matias Moroni, 23 Santiago Cordero
Italy vs Argentina Prediction
This is an interesting match where on paper, Argentina should be comfortable favourites but they have a whole host of injuries that will weaken them somewhat.
So much depends on Argentina’s motivation as when they are fully focused, they can beat anybody. When they are not, they can lose to anybody. We fear the latter may be more likely for this match.
Italy will be fired up to do well at home and challenge themselves against a strong team like Argentine. Whether they can get the win, remains to be seen however.
Argentina have dominated Italy in previous meetings having won their last eight and it is hard to make a case that this will be any different even with a weakened team. With changes in the Argentine team among the backs, we do not expect this to be as high-scoring as it usually would be and our preference is on the unders.
Italy vs Argentina Tip: Under 51.5 total points
