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Argentina's key World Cup backs Juan Martin Hernandez and Felipe Contepomi will miss the Pumas' tour of Britain next month.

The duo and flanker Juan Manuel Leguizamon, who are either injured or not fully fit, were omitted from the squad named by coach Santiago Phelan on Thursday.

The Pumas face England at Twickenham on November 14, Wales in Cardiff on November 21 and Scotland at Murrayfield on November 28.

Natal Sharks fly-half Hernandez, who helped Argentina beat England 24-22 in their last meeting in Salta in June, has a back problem while Stade Francais forward Leguizamon, who also played in that Test, is injured.

Contepomi, who has taken over from Agustin Pichot as Argentina's captain, has not played since he suffered a knee ligament injury playing for Leinster in last season's Heineken Cup semi-final. He is still not fully fit and has yet to make his debut for new club Toulon.

Back row forward Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, who captained the Pumas in the June Tests against England, a defeat at Old Trafford in Manchester and the Salta victory, will most likely lead the team again on the tour.

There is experience in the pack with Toulon's Fernandez Lobbe, Toulouse lock Patricio Albacete, Stade Francais prop Rodrigo Roncero and Clermont hooker Mario Ledesma.

The half-backs are less experienced with the first choice pair likely to be London Irish's Alfredo Lalanne and Santiago Fernandez of Hindu, who will be looking for their fourth Buenos Aires championship title in a row in this Saturday's final.

Squad:

Backs: Agustin Figuerola, Alfredo Lalanne, Nicolas Vergallo, Benjamin Urdapilleta, Santiago Fernandez, Gonzalo Tiesi, Federico Martin Aramburu, Horacio Agulla, Lucas Borges, Mauro Comuzzi, Gonzalo Camacho, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Martin Rodriguez Gurruchaga.

Forwards: Marcos Ayerza, Rodrigo Roncero, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Martin Scelzo, Mario Ledesma, Alberto Vernet Basualdo, Esteban Lozada, Patricio Albacete, Manuel Carizza, Mariano Sambucetti, Agustin Creevy, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Alejandro Abadie, Alejandro Campos, Tomas Leonardi, Miguel de Achaval.

Reuters