Rugby-World-Argentina pick Hernandez at flyhalf against France

By Rex Gowar

PARIS, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Argentina have chosen the relatively inexperienced Juan Martin Hernandez at flyhalf for the World Cup's opening match against France on Friday.

"We have not chosen our team thinking of France but in order to carry out the game plan we have prepared," coach Marcelo Loffreda told reporters on Wednesday before the Pool D game at the Stade de France.

Loffreda named Hernandez, usually the Pumas fullback, at outside half with the versatile Felipe Contepomi inside him at centre and place-kicking expert Federico Todeschini, who has just recovered from injury, among the replacements.

Hernandez, one of the big talents of the French club championship, ended last season playing at flyhalf for Stade Francais, his favourite position.

He has, however, very limited experience of the position for Argentina and only one test match in partnership with captain Agustin Pichot at scrumhalf and Contepomi at inside centre, against Italy in 2005.

Loffreda said Contepomi would do the place kicking.

Argentina - 15-Ignacio Corleto, 14-Lucas Borges, 13-Manuel Contepomi, 12-Felipe Contepomi, 11-Horacio Agulla, 10-Juan Martin Hernandez, 9-Agustin Pichot (captain), 8-Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7-Lucas Ostiglia, 6-Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 5-Patricio Albacete, 4-Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3-Martin Scelzo, 2-Mario Ledesma, 1-Rodrigo Roncero.

Replacements: 16-Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17-Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, 18-Rimas Alvarez, 19-Martin Durand, 20-Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, 21-Federico Todeschini, 22-Hernan Senillosa.