1
Watch: Incredible sacrifices Pumas players made during lockdown
By Online Editors
If you thought Argentina's win over the All Blacks on Saturday was thanks to a stroke of luck, you'd be very wrong.
The Pumas claimed a 25-15 win over the All Blacks on Saturday in Sydney - their first-ever victory over New Zealand.
A video posted to Los Pumas' Twitter page has now shed light on some of the extreme sacrifices and challenges players faced while preparing for the match.
The video showed clips of how player's trained individually during lockdown and as a team while in isolation.
"I trained over a hundred days in my apartment," Pumas hooker Julian Montoya said.
"I practised passes in the garage at home," said Tomas Cubelli
Footage of Santiago Socino showed how he simulated lineout throws with his dad on the roof of their house, while Nicolas Sanchez said he ran 21m in his lounge.
Other players mentioned how they hadn't seen their family since August, and have had to undergo 16 covid tests since training began.
The video has already racked up more than 700,000 views and 12,300 likes.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks passion has been questioned after captain Sam Cane said it was evident throughout the defeat that the Pumas wanted victory more.
Head coach Ian Foster had similar comments.
"The first 40 minutes they played with all the passion that we were expecting but they were also accurate. We were ill-disciplined again and that's disappointing," he said after the game.
"For a country that hasn't played all year, they had a big cause to play for and you could see that. They turned a perceived disadvantage into an advantage, they were rested."
The All Blacks have a bye this week as they prepare for a chance to reverse Saturday's result.
They play Argentina again on November 28.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Edinburgh face anxious wait over Duhan van der Merwe
3
Multiple clubs swarming to lure Chris Harris from Gloucester
4
Catalogue of logistical mishaps leads to crazy numbers in Test match
5
Latest Comments
Well said. All this rubbish circulating that Richie Mo’unga could not step up to international rugby. He was so dominant for the Crusaders in there 7 title wins . But had to put up with doubting Thomas fickle Foster. The AB’s limited game plan in that time was terrible. Richie Mo’unga is a wonderful 10.
Go to commentsHe does cover them but he's not as good as any of the other specialist backrowers in any of them. He's not as good an 8 as Conan or Doris, he's not as good a flanker as any of the flankers I've mentioned and he's not as good a hybrid as Earl (yet).
At the moment most of his involvements are ball in hand but lightweight test number 8s aren't really a thing and his jackal work isn't test standard yet. I wouldn't put it beyond Pollock to play his way into contention, if anyone could do it, he could but I don't see it personally. If the Lions tour were in 2 years absolutely he'd be there. If Earl gets injured it makes it a lot more likely. I reckon Pollock may get a mid-tour callup. I'm pretty confident he won't go on the first plane though.
Go to comments