Hungry Pumas
With continued improvement over the past few years the Argentinians could now prove a real nightmare for France and Ireland on their way to the Rugby World Cup quarter finals.
The Pumas’ claws are out. Argentina’s performances in the first Rugby World Cups, when the Pumas only managed a single win from three tournaments, are now buried in the past. 1999 marked a turning point for the South Americans when they defeated Ireland in a knock-out match (28-24) and made it through to the quarter finals for the first time where they were eliminated by France (28-47) with their credibility still intact. From then on the Pumas have been feared. Even some of the major rugby nations: Ireland, Wales and France have fallen prey to the Argentinians’ power, talent, and thirst for victory. In Australia 2003 only a point separated Argentina and Ireland (15-16) and a repeat of the 1999 victory.
Many Pumas players including Pichot, Hernandez, Corleto and the like, play their rugby in France and will pretty much feel at home when it comes to tournament time in September 2007. Their reunion in pool D with Ireland and France promise to be passionate. The Bleubeaten by the Argentinians in Marseille 2004 have been warned...
Colours: |
Sky blue and white striped shirt, white shorts, sky blue and white striped socks |
Emblem: |
Even though there is a jaguar on the Federation badge, the Argentinians are nicknamed ‘The Pumas' due to a mistake made by a journalist
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National anthem: |
Oid, Mortales |
IRB world ranking (July 2006): |
8th |
Rugby World Cup record: |
Quarter finalist in 1999 Eliminated after the pool phase in 1987, 1991, 1995 and 2003 18 matches played, 6 victories, 12 defeats 435 points scored, 439 points conceded |
Head coach: |
Marcelo Loffreda |
Squad Member List: |
Forwards: Patricio Albacete, Rimas Alvarez Kairelis, Marcos Iván Ayerza, Martín Alberto Durand, Carlos Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe, Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, Omar Hasan, Mario Ezequiel Ledesma Arocena, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Gonzalo Matías Longo Elia, Esteban Lozada, Lucas Ostiglia, Rodrigo Roncero, Martín Scelzo, Martín Schusterman, Alberto Vernet Basualdo. Backs: Agustín Pichot (Captain), Felipe Contepomi, Manuel Contepomi, Ignacio Corleto, Nicolás Fernández Miranda, Martín Gaitan, Juan Martín Hernández, Horacio Agulla, Lucas Borges, José María Núñez Piossek, Federico Serra Miras, Gonzalo Pedro Tiesi, Federico Todeschini. |
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