Pumas mix it up for Scotland Test link-up with Jones
Thursday November 26 2009
Argentina have made six changes to their starting XV for Saturday's autumn international with Scotland, including four in the pack.
The Pumas have drafted in Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza for Rodrigo Roncero, Alberto Vernet Basualdo for Mario Ledesma at hooker, Manuel Carizza for Mariano Sambucetti at lock and Alejandro Campos for Tomas Leonardi at flanker.
They have also recalled London Irish scrum-half Alfredo Lalanne for Agustin Figuerola, while Federico Martin Aramburu has come in for Mauro Comuzzi on the wing.
Argentina, who have not lost at Murryfield since 1990, are looking to bounce back from defeats in their opening two tour games against England and Wales.
Peel relishing Welsh
link-up with Jones
Dwayne Peel is relishing the chance to rekindle one of Welsh rugby's most prolific half-back partnerships.
Peel and Stephen Jones will be reunited in a Wales starting line-up for the first time since February 2008 when Australia arrive at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
It is a combination launched almost 10 years ago as they embarked on richly promising club careers with Llanelli.
Between them, they have now amassed 153 Welsh caps and toured three times with the British and Irish Lions, but the sense of excitement is undiminished.
"We haven't played together for a while, so it will be good to get back to old ways," said Peel, who currently plies his trade in England with Sale Sharks, while Jones is a Scarlets player once more following a stint at French club Clermont Auvergne.
Cockerill hit with four-week ban
Leicester head coach Richard Cockerill has received a four-week ban after admitting two offences of match official abuse.
Cockerill, who steered Leicester to the Guinness Premiership title last season, was punished by a three-man RFU disciplinary panel.
Former England hooker Cockerill is suspended from any involvement with the Leicester team or match officials on game days until December 23, and from coaching mini, midi and youth rugby on Sundays, also until that date. He was also fined £2,000.
The ban means 38-year-old Cockerill will have no involvement in Leicester's Guinness Premiership games against Leeds Carnegie this weekend or away to Wasps on Sunday week.
And he must also sit out the key back-to-back Heineken Cup clashes against powerful French side Clermont Auvergne, the club Cockerill played for after calling time on his 224-match Tigers career.
Irish Independent
