Rugby Championship: Pumas await the lions’ den

Rugby Championship: Pumas await the lions’ den

With the dust now settled on the June Internationals, another fascinating subplot on the road to 2015 rears it head. While England, Ireland and Wales have long returned home with excruciating memories of what might have been, their SANZAR conquerors are just getting started. For them comes the climax of a typically titanic Super Rugby campaign, before something even tastier.
Ever since its inception in 1996, the Tri Nations has left our hemisphere in a state of unadulterated awe, the Antipodeans joined by the Springboks in a contest of unparalleled intensity that, by default, signalled the sport’s pace-setters. With South Africa battle-hardened, Australia driven by the brilliance of Will Genia and New Zealand stretching their own outrageous boundaries, this year’s vintage promises more of the same. Well, with one very obvious exception.
The presence of Argentina that marks the inaugural season of The Rugby Championship is very refreshing. However, the perennially plucky underdogs are thrust into a relentless round-robin schedule. The Pumas’ first three Tests among the big boys – against South Africa in Cape Town and Mendoza before a visit to Wellington to face the All Blacks – comprise an intimidating ordeal.
Having said that, they wouldn’t have it any other way. Expect Argentina to embrace opportunity, rather than cower in adversity. Besides, they worked hard to get this far.

The fairytale tournament

Cast your mind back to the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Skippered by scrum-half Agustin Pichot, who combined the roles of graceful playmaker and barking motivator perfectly, Argentina injected the tournament with a true tale of romance. After spoiling the opening-night party with a tense victory over Les Bleus in front of 80,000 at the Stade de France, they put together a string of wins to reach a gloriously unlikely semi-final.
Although at that point the Pumas ran out of steam somewhat, and were comprehensively beaten by eventual champions South Africa, their credentials as a significant international force were impossible to ignore – they simply had to be involved in regular competition. As if to underline such a fact, Pichot’s men destroyed the hosts 34-10 in the third-place play-off.
A golden generation of South American talent – Felipe Contepomi, Juan Martin Hernandez, Rodrigo Roncero, Mario Ledesma, and Lobbe brothers Juan Martin Fernandez and Ignacio Fernandez – had reached their peak. Galvanized by an irrepressible blend of passion, industry and togetherness, they had forged a remarkable team that deserved a reward. However, that is where things stalled.
In the immediate aftermath of the World Cup, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, France and Portugal offered their services in the hope that the Pumas could join the Six Nations. Even so, the IRB ruled it more logistically viable to include Argentina in the Tri Nations rather than uprooting their base, which would make it very difficult to encourage a home-grown league system. Contractual wrangles with SANZAR over media issues wasted time infuriatingly and though things were eventually finalised, the golden generation inevitably dulled.
Stepping into a veritable lions’ den, Argentina are simply a shadow of their former selves. Pichot, Ledesma and Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe have hung up their boots and Contepomi has rather oddly opted in favour of a full pre-season with his club Stade Francais. Having been dismantled 49-10 at the end of last month by a France side inspired by Luis Picamoles and Maxime Mermoz, the signs are ominous for the Pumas.
Granted, Gallic flair is sometimes irresistible, but the power and accuracy of the southern hemisphere trio of ‘Bad Guys’ (as Sir Clive Woodward called them) is a different proposition altogether. If the All Blacks smell blood, as they did in the third Test against the wounded Irish in Hamilton, things might get messy.

Reasons to be cheerful

Of course, a team including Leicester loose-head Marcos Ayerza, abrasive Bath-bound winger Horacio Agulla and Patricio Albacete – not to mention the mercurial Hernandez – will not roll over. Rather, they will have a very solid set piece, a reliable kicking game and organised, robust backs willing to hit uncomplicated lines. That is a foundation that can take you very far.
Buoyed by what should be a fiercely partisan home crowd, home fixtures will be absolutely crucial for Argentina. A brave showing when the Springboks head over on August 25 and the imagination of a fanatical nation could be captured. Find yourself a video of a Superclásico between River Plate and Boca Juniors to sample sporting fervour at its most vivid. Then dream of Rugby World Cup final in an atmosphere like that. Wow.
The fear, a very rational one, is that the new boys’ lack of depth is exposed mercilessly by pace and skill. I would argue that everyone has to start somewhere. A decade ago, in their second season of Six Nations competition, Italy were mangled at Twickenham to the tune of 80-23 by an England team in their pomp. It was real hide-behind-the-sofa stuff. Nothing of that nature will happen to the Argentineans, and you don’t need to look too far back for evidence.
In October on a misty night at Eden Park, the appropriately-named Marcelo Bosch struck a long-range penalty to bring the Pumas within two points of New Zealand in the World Cup quarter-final. With half an hour to play, the poltergeist of Pichot was in the Auckland air. Now is no time for stage fright. Argentina should only be inspired by opportunity.

You can't compare that final game vs France in the Autumn - none of the players playing that day will play in the Championship.

They probably wont win a game for first couple of years but they will push the teams close. They will be rusty in the first 2-3 games too with their players having not played since May.

But they do have class players. Figallo will be the best tight head in the world within 2 years. Ayerza can finally step out of Roncero's shadow. Creevy can do thinks Ledesma can only dream of.

In the second row Albacete is still the top second row in the Top 14. Carizza is a big lad.

In the back row, Lobbe and Leguizamon on their day can compete but they do have a tendency to give away penalties. Staying disciplined is key for the Pumas because otherwise teams will kill them with 3 points. Keep an eye out for Tomas De La Vega - only 20 but could get into the team as an out and out 7 - and will be world class eventually.

At 9 they have a problem - Vergallo is first choice but not had a look in at Toulouse this season

Hernandez at 10 - is he past it after savage injuries?

Centre - at 12 they have lots of choices - Rodrigueaz, Fernandez but 13 is a problem position with Tiesi out injured. Expect to see Agulla given a go at 13.

Back three is now a strength for the Pumas - Amorosino will start at 15 with Imhoff and Moyano, Montero or Camacho on the wings.

Argentina will lose all matches and be hammered away in New Zealand and South Africa. But watch the team grow and watch some of these names finally become household names!!

They just might beat oz at home. Particularly if the growing list of convicts is not allowed to travel.

Nice article, and great response from JAM204. I think the front row players you mentioned will really step up to the plate and cause a lot of problems for the SH teams. Figallo is an exceptional tight head, and will look to continue his WC form. Ayerza as well is just absolute quality. In the loose especially, he is like a rampaging rhino. To be honest, I thought he was a lot better than Roncero approaching the twilight of his international career, and couldn't understand why Ayerza was benching.

Depends on if they grant Beale Taylorman.

Good to see these knowledgeable Argentinian fans on the boards with their insight into the players. The good thing is we should all get to know the players better soon.

The guy who I’m looking forward to seeing is the bloke who had a stormer at 7 against us in the WC QF....can’t remember his name but he had a blinder. Think he is amateur, or at least was?

Mintie that was some of the most brutal defence I have ever seen. It's not often you see AB players being driven so far back in the tackle. Ferocious stuff!

I'm glad Argentina have joined but in truth the old Tri nations bored me to tears.

The beauty of the 6 nations is you get ONE chance to get the bragging rights for 12 months. Welsh fans get the chance to tease and bait all the others countries fans for a whole year and no amount of forum topics or debates can alter the fact were grand slam champions, they just have to suck it up. Sadly in the tri nations they played each other umteen times a year and the games blurred together.

It's a pity they didnt try something like this sooner.

Shifty there were too many games against only two sides. 3 opponents and only two matches makes a lot more sense.

As for your other comments, I'm sure that's why many Wales fans are truly loved and treated with such deference on these boards. Personally I like to see home and away games and when you play the best, you find there is a lot more respect no matter who wins or loses among the 3N fans.

Yup-in 2010 we swept the thing, but I didn't see any gloating on here from the Kiwis actually. Maybe it was the panic at peaking too soon again lol.

2010 was some feat really.

We could have lost a couple (McCaw and Dagg scoring at the death in two) but when you look at the NH results recently for us to beat Oz and SA 6 times to 0 between them in 7-8 weeks is something not likely to be repeated easily.

A 3N sweep by far tougher to win than a world cup