Rugby-Hernandez missing from Argentina World Cup squad

BUENOS AIRES, June 17 (Reuters) - Flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez, recovering from knee surgery, was missing from the 39-man provisional World Cup squad that 2007 semi-finalists Argentina named on Friday.

Hernandez's French club Racing Metro prefer him to continue his recovery with them rather than join the Pumas squad at a two-week physical training camp in Florida next month, the Argentine Rugby Union said.

"Later on we'll evaluate along with the medical staff how his recuperation is progressing to see if he is fit to be called up," coach Santiago Phelan said.

Phelan, whose team have just drawn a disappointing series 1-1 with the French Barbarians, hopes Hernandez will be fit to join the squad for the run-in to the tournament in New Zealand starting on Sept. 9.

The Pumas have another warm-up against a South America XV on Aug. 6 and a test match against Wales in Cardiff on Aug. 20 by which time Phelan will have whittled his squad down to 30 for the tournament.

The squad, now captained by Felipe Contepomi, contains six first choice forwards including the full front row from the team that retired scrumhalf Agustin Pichot led to third place at the last World Cup in France.

Squad:

Forwards: Juan Fernandez Lobbe (Toulon), Juan Manuel Leguizamon (Lyon), Genaro Fessia (Cordoba Athletic), Leonardo Senatore (Gimnasia Rosario), Alejandro Campos (Agen), Alvaro Galindo (Racing Metro), Patricio Albacete (Toulouse), Manuel Carizza (Biarritz), Julio Farias Cabello (Tucuman RC), Mariano Galarza (unattached), Santiago Guzman (Tucuman RC), Tomas Vallejos (Harlequins), Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers), Agustin Creevy (Montpellier), Juan Figallo (Montpellier), Eusebio Guinazu (Biarritz), Andres Bordoy (Pau), Maximiliano Bustos (Montpellier), Mario Ledesma (Clermont), Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais), Martin Scelzo (Agen)

Backs: Martin Rodriguez (Stade Francais), Horacio Agulla (Leicester Tigers), Juan Jose Imhoff (Duendes), Gonzalo Camacho (Exeter), Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino (Montpellier), Agustin Gosio (Newman), Lucas Borges (Pucara), Martin Bustos Moyano (Montpellier), Gabriel Azcarate (Natacion y Gimnasia), Rafael Carballo (Bordeaux), Gonzalo Tiesi (Stade Francais), Santiago Fernandez (Montpellier), Marcelo Bosch (Biarritz), Felipe Contepomi (Stade Francais, captain), Nicolas Sanchez (Tucuman Lawn Tennis), Agustin Figuerola (Brive), Alfredo Lalanne (London Irish), Nicolas Vergallo (Toulouse) (Editing by Ian Ransom; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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