Today's other stories in brief

Argentina rely on raw halfbacks

ARGENTINA WILL field an experienced pack and a raw pair of halfbacks when they take on England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Coach Santiago Phelan has named four of the front five and captain Juan Fernandez Lobbe, at number eight, who helped Argentina finish third at the 2007 World Cup.

Halfbacks Alfredo Lalanne and Santiago Fernandez have only begun to cement places in the Pumas team since that achievement.

ARGENTINA: H Agulla; L Borges, G Tiesi, M Rodriguez, M Cornuzzi; S Fernandez, A Lalanne; R Roncero, M Ledesma, M Scelzo, E Lozada, P Albacete, T Leonardi, A Abadie, J Fernandez Lobbe (capt). Replacements: A Basualdo, M Ayerza, M Carizza, A Campos, A Figuerola, B Urdapilleta, F Aramburu.

Delany replaces suspended Carter

OUTHALF MIKE Delany will make his New Zealand debut alongside backs Tamati Ellison and Ben Smith in Saturday’s Test against Italy at Milan’s San Siro.

Coach Graham Henry rang the changes with only Cory Jane, Neemia Tialata and Wyatt Crockett remaining from the starting team that beat Wales 19-12 in Cardiff last weekend.

Captain Richie McCaw will be rested on the bench with number eight Rodney So’oialo taking over as skipper.

Delany plays after outhalf Dan Carter, who was likely to have been rested anyway, was banned for one week for a high tackle against the Welsh. The Bay of Plenty player has fought off competition from Stephen Donald.

NEW ZEALAND; C Jane; B Smith, T Ellison, L McAlister, S Sivivatu; M Delany, A Ellis; W Crockett, C Flynn, N Tialata, T Donnelly, A Boruc, L Messam, T Latimer, R So’oialo. Replacements: A Hore, J Afoa, J Eaton, R McCaw, J Cowan, S Donald, M Muliaina.

Samoa call on Premier players

SAMOA WILL field a team containing five English Premiership players for tomorrow night’s Test match against Wales. London Irish flanker George Stowers skippers the side in a pack that also includes Sale hooker Mahonri Schwalger and Newcastle lock Filipo Levi. Behind the scrum, London Irish centre Seilala Mapusua and Wasps wing David Lemi will pose a threat.

Melbourne has been awarded the franchise for the 15th Super rugby team when the competition expands in 2011. The city was chosen by independent arbitrators after the board of Sanzar failed to reach an agreement last month between it and a competing bid from South Africa’s Southern Kings.

Injuries force Johnson's hand

ENGLAND TEAM manager Martin Johnson has made four changes to his side for Saturday’s international against Argentina. Injuries have hit Johnson’s forward options and veteran prop Duncan Bell will make his first start for England since 2005. James Haskell is selected at number eight in place of the injured Jordan Crane while Northampton’s Dylan Hartley replaces Steve Thompson at hooker. Paul Hodgson is given a first start at scrumhalf.

ENGLAND: U Monye; M Cueto, D Hipkiss, S Geraghty, M Banahan; J Wilkinson, P Hodgson; T Payne, D Hartley, D Bell, S Borthwick, L Deacon, T Croft, L Moody, J Haskell. Replacements: S Thompson, P Doran-Jones, C Lawes, J Worsley, D Care, A Goode, A Erinle.