1 week Ago By Fernando Romero Nuñez
The Argentine men’s rugby union team, better known as the Pumas, beat Australia by a record 67-27 score on Saturday, securing a slim chance at the Rugby Championship crown. It’s only the third time in history that the Argentine team has been able to pull off two wins in the tournament, following the ones in 2018 and 2022. But while the Pumas have certainly proven they can take on any top team in rugby, they still have one last hurdle to overcome: doing it consistently.
Sixty-seven points is the most the Australian Wallabies have ever conceded, as well as the second largest points gap in their history, but the resounding win wasn’t clear from the start. In the first clash between the Pumas and the Wallabies, on August 31 in La Plata, the Pumas lost their initial 13-7 lead and conceded 13 points in the second half, losing the game 20-19. Then on Saturday, Argentina was down 3-20 when the half-time whistle went.
Faced with back-to-back defeats on their home turf, the Pumas managed to turn it around in spectacular fashion. From precise ball handling on attack to more aggressive tackling on defense, the Pumas showed what they’re capable of and what coach Felipe Contepomi wants his team to look like. It’s not the first time Argentina has enamored the rugby world with a dominant display against a top team.
At the 2023 World Cup, they played Wales, one of the top contenders, out of the park 29-17. But then they lost the third-place game against a much less preferred England. Having first joined the Rugby Championship in 2012 after impressing in the 2007 World Cup, the Pumas have had five winless events — 2012, 2013, 2017, 2019, and 2021 — and only avoided finishing last twice.
Their current tally of 10 points — enough for second on the table — is their best in the competition ever. The journey to the rugby elite has been long, and hard-earned. The Pumas still have a chance to wrap up the year with their first-ever title.
Set to face the best team in the world, South Africa’s Springboks, with a game at home and another away. The task is monumental. The Argentine team needs to be at its peak and even two wins against the defending world champion won’t be enough: it will also require one of the extra points awarded to teams scoring three or more tries, and keeping South Africa over seven points away to prevent them getting the extra point awarded for a close defeat.
A solitary, hard-fought win at the Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero province could be the biggest result for the Pumas, regardless of what happens at the last game at the Mbombela Stadium. It’ll probably be enough to secure second place at the tournament, conclude their best performance ever, and take another step to consolidate the team as one of the global rugby elite. Argentina will play the first leg against South Africa on September 21 at 6 p.
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