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Match-starved Argentina name rookie midfielder for Puma's first test in 13 months
By Online Editors
The All Blacks will take on the Pumas in their first meeting of the Tri Nations on Saturday – the first test for the Argentineans since last year's Rugby World Cup.
Argentina have been one of the hardest hit teams in world rugby by the pandemic, with several players and coach Mario Ledesma contracting the virus this year.
It means the Argentineans will be a relatively unknown prospect heading into their first test of the year.
Here's all you need to know about the team to face the All Blacks and everything the South Americans have gone through to get here.
Argentina team to face the All Blacks
Ledesma has named three new faces in the side to face the All Blacks at Bankwest Stadium.
Flanker Pablo Matera captains the side, while Santiago Chocobares will make his debut at centre.
Santiago Grondona and Lucio Cinti are also set to make their test debuts from the bench.
Argentina team: 1. Nahuel Tetaz Chapparo, 2. Julian Montoya, 3. Francisco Gómez-Kodela, 4. Guido Petti, 5. Matias Alemanno, 6. Pablo Matera (c), 7. Marcos Kremer, 8. Rodrigo Bruni, 9. Tomas Cubelli, 10. Nicolas Sánchez, 11. Juan Imhoff, 12. Santiago Chocobares*, 13. Matias Orlando, 14. Bautista Delguy, 15. Santiago Carreras.
Reserves: 16. Facundo Bosch, 17. Mayco Vivas, 18. Santiago Medrano, 19. Santiago Grondona*, 20. Tomas Lezana, 21. Gonzalo Bertranou, 22. Lucio Cinti*, 23. Santiago Cordero.
Preparations ahead of Tri Nations
Having not played a test in over a year, the Argentineans will be coming into the clash relatively cold compared to the All Blacks who have played four tests against the Wallabies in five weeks.
After undergoing a two-week quarantine in Australia last month, the Pumas faced an Australia XV twice in warm-up matches, winning both.
Ledesma's side beat the Australian team featuring several fringe Wallabies 19-15 in the first clash, then went on to beat the Aussies again in a sensational 57-24 victory, a game that consisted of three 30-minute periods.
There was probably not a lot to learn from the warm-up games but don't rule out a strong and hungry side rushing off the blocks against the All Blacks.
While the two victories were a good sign for the Argentineans, facing a battle-hardened All Blacks team looking to bounce back from a loss will be a daunting task.
Pandemic challenges
Pumas No 8 Rodrigo Bruni said his side are motivated to put on a strong performance for the fans in Argentina, where the pandemic has hit hard.
"The key to this week is to give up everything for this jersey," Bruni said at training.
"The thing I highlight most about this group is that they never give up.
"A few months ago we were training and didn't know whether we were going to play."
It's been a long road to Australia for the Pumas, with more than a dozen players and staff, including head coach Ledesma, testing positive for Covid-19 at a training camp in Argentina.
The Springboks, who didn't report any positive tests, withdrew from the Rugby Championship anyway due to worries about player safety from a lack of match practice.
However, the Argentineans were determined to make it to Australia for the tournament despite the challenges they've faced. The Argentine union's financial situation also probably put more pressure on the need to join the competition at all cost.
The return of Michael Cheika
The familiar face of Michael Cheika will be amongst the Pumas coaching staff, with the former Wallabies coach joining Ledesma's team as an assistant helping with logistics and tactical advice.
Cheika, who reunited with his former scrum coach Ledesma, says he's been impressed with the spirit and work ethic in Pumas camp in the face of adversity.
"They are hungry to get a feeling of the jersey and to play at the next level," he said.
"(They are) also very mindful because there are a lot of people in Argentina who don't have this chance so they want to be well prepared."
Cheika, of course, was replaced by Kiwi Dave Rennie after a disappointing World Cup campaign.
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Latest Comments
It is if he thinks he’s got hold of the ball and there is at least one other player between him and the ball carrier, which is why he has to reach around and over their heads. Not a deliberate action for me.
Go to commentsI understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
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