League winners Argentina tackle ‘unusual’ challenge at SVNS Grand Final

Argentina are sailing through uncharted waters at the moment. For a team that’s worked tirelessly since the Tokyo Olympics to be considered the best, now they’ve reached those heights by winning the League title, they’re faced with an “unusual” task.

Los Pumas Sevens turned some heads at the Tokyo Games as they finished with a medal after beating Great Britain in the battle for bronze. But if you ask any of those players if they were shocked at what they achieved, they’ll tell you the same thing.

Players including Lautaro Bazan were in tears not because they were surprised, but rather, it was the overwhelming emotion of achieving something so special and historic. But they never doubted themselves.

They've channelled that same sense of confidence when they take the field on the SVNS Series.

The main difference between then and now is the Argies have turned their belief into gold medals and silverware. With coach Santiago Gomez Cora at the helm, Los Pumas Sevens have completely transformed themselves into consistent winners on the Series.

While they were beaten by South Africa in the Dubai final to open the 2023/24 season last December, Argentina went on to win in Cape Town, Perth and Vancouver. It was an incredible winning streak that had fans the world over talking.

Eventually, after seven regular season events, they were rewarded after being crowned League winners in Singapore in early May. That minor premiership crown had players crying tears of joy at the National Stadium.

But with the Series offering the top eight teams a chance to be crowned overall champions at the Grand Final in Madrid, Argentina face the challenge of backing up their accomplishment in Spain’s capital and also at the Paris Olympics.

As captain Santiago Alvarez explained, “It’s very difficult.

“It’s something that is unusual for us,” he told RugbyPass.

“We worked for too many years to be first in the League so we don’t know, this is very new to us.

“Trying to use that pressure to be useful for us, not thinking (about) what we did, just thinking what we have to correct for this game and trying to be better each game, each training, and forget that we (won the League).”

But if there’s a sense of pressure or expectation following the Argies this week, it’s not like you’d be able to tell going off their performance at Civitas Metropolitano on Friday.  In a brief summary, they couldn’t have been much better against Great Britain.

In their first match at the home of Spanish football giants Atletico Madrid, Los Pumas Sevens got off to a perfect start with Joaquin Pellandini scoring two tries in as many minutes.

While Great Britain hit back through Api Bavadra just before half-time, it was one-way traffic from there as Argentina ran away with a statement 31-5 win. Rodrigo Isgro, Germain Schulz and Agustin Fraga were their second-half try scorers.

With a sea of blue and white shirts filling the stands, the passionate support for the League winners was impossible to ignore.

“Too many Argies over here,” Alvarez said with a smile. “It seems like we are in Argentina but very happy, very happy.

“For us, this is very unusual. We always play far away from home. Having some family, some friends, and the Argentina fans cheering for us is incredible.

“But we try not to think of that. We think of what we have to do and give what we can give to all those people.”

Catch all of the SVNS Madrid action live and free on RugbyPass TV. To watch the Grand Final, register HERE.