Fullback Juan Martin Hernandez is out of Argentina’s squad to face England at Twickenham on November 9 with a torn right thigh muscle, the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) said on Thursday.
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Hernandez, injured during training with his French club Racing Metro, is one of four players missing from the list of 31 named by coach Daniel Hourcade this week for the Pumas’ three-test tour which also includes Wales and Italy.
Hourcade will name a separate squad for each match as the UAR negotiates the release of players from their European clubs who had already lost them to the Pumas for 2-1/2 months during the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship.
Forwards Eusebio Guinazu and Leonardo Senatore, who played in the Championship, and Glasgow centre Gabriel Ascarate, part of the team that lost a two-match series at home to England in June, are also out of the squad for the Twickenham test.
Two absentees for the whole tour are Leicester wing Gonzalo Camacho and Montpellier front row forward Juan Figallo, who both suffered serious injuries having been among Argentina’s best performers in the Rugby Championship.
Also missing is captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe who fractured an elbow playing for Toulon on Saturday, while centre Felipe Contepomi retired after Argentina’s last match against Australia on October 5. Hourcade has yet to name his tour captain.