Argentina Rugby World Cup: Will Los Pumas Break Through into World’s Elite?
Argentina Rugby World Cup: Michael Cheika, a former Australia national team coach who was named the World Rugby Coach of the Time in 2015, now will lead Argentina’s Los Pumas. It’s a time of transition for the Argentina national rugby squad. There’s a new coach and still much left to do ahead of the country’s upcoming competitions for the remainder of 2022, games that reflect Los Pumas’ nature to play the best, no matter where their fresh form may stand.
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After all, Argentina made it to at least the knockout phases in three consecutive Rugby World Cups, a streak that was broken when it failed to loan out of the pool stage in Japan in 2019. With about a year-and-a-half to make for the next World Cup, positive signs do need to come soon, and Argentina confidences a new man they’ve brought in will be the one to get them there.
Here’s a look at where Argentine rugby stands ahead of a tough give of competitions this summer, and beyond, as it looks to get its bearings ahead of France 2023.
Cheika Is in Charge
A new man has been installed to lead Los Pumas from the touchline, and it’s a very conversant name to fans of international rugby. Michael Cheika, the former Australia national team coach who was named the World Rugby Coach of the Year in 2015, was chosen to replace the outgoing Mario Ledesma, who resigned from his position earlier this year.
Cheika is the first Aussie to coach the Argentinian national squad and the first non-Argentine to be named to the post since Kiwi Alex Wyllie in 1999 – a decision that paid bonuses for the country as he took Los Pumas to the quarterfinals of the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Previously an assistant for the national team under Ledesma, Cheika already has some recognized rapport with his players and now has a limit to prove himself, with Reuters reporting that his present deal is scheduled to go through the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
With Argentina’s place in France next year already tenable due to placing in the top three in its 2019 Rugby World Cup pool, some pressure to achieve is at least already off Cheika, as he doesn’t qualify up in the air. As a winner of both the Heineken Cup (in 2009 with Leinster) and Super Rugby (in 2014 with New South Wales Waratahs), Cheika has a dressed crop of silverware in his coaching resume, too. To Know more about England Vs Argentina Tickets click here.
No Slouches to Be Seen
Argentina Rugby World Cup: Ledesma’s resignation from his coaching role was certainly influenced by a string of poor results, but in fairness to him, Argentina’s stretch to close out 2021 was a murderer’s row. With two-match tours of South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, and back-to-back-to-back, no less, plus competitions against France, Italy, and Ireland to boot, it’s no wonder the Argentines went on a losing run of eight defeats in nine competitions before hiring Cheika.
The hostility doesn’t get much easier for 2022, but at least Los Pumas will get to play some of those games in front of home troops. Scotland visits for a three-match tour next month, before Australia flies over for a pair of competitions in August, giving Cheika chances to show off his tactics against formidable foes in friendly surroundings. It’s a time of transition for the Argentina national rugby team. There’s a new coach and still much left to do ahead of the country’s upcoming competitions for the rest of 2022, games that reflect Los Pumas’ nature to play the best, no matter where their recent form may stand.
After all, Argentina made it to at least the knockout stages in three successive Rugby World Cups, a streak that was broken when it failed to loan out of the pool stage in Japan in 2019. With about a year-and-a-half to prepare for the next World Cup, positive signs do need to come soon, and Argentina hopes a new man they’ve brought in will be the one to get them there. Here’s a look at where Argentine rugby stands ahead of a tough stretch of competitions this summer, and beyond, as it looks to get its bearings ahead of France 2023:
How Much Do the Vets Have Left?
Hooker Augustin Creevy and fly-half Nicolas Sanchez are titans of Argentina rugby World Cup, with the duo being No. 1 and No. 2 on their republic’s all-time caps list. Sanchez, in particular, cemented himself into legend after Los Pumas’ first victory over New Zealand in November 2020, when he scored all 25 of his team’s points in Argentina’s famous 25-15 win – the third-most facts a single player has ever scored in a match against the All Blacks.
Creevy, meanwhile, has been a near-constant assortment for his national team since first being picked as a 20-year-old in 2005, playing in three Rugby World Cups and tallying 85 caps to be Argentina’s career leader. The two can’t play forever, however, and they make up two of 10 players designated by Cheika ahead of Scotland’s visit who are at least 30 years old.
With likely just one more Rugby World Cup (at best) ahead in Creevy and Sanchez’s national-team tenancies, a big dilemma for Cheika is going to be how and where he’ll find the leader(s) to replace them. Flanker Pablo Matera, with 78 caps to his name aged 28, perhaps is next in line on paper, but the continued growth of lock Marcos Kremer, who already has 43 caps as a 24-year-old, could make him a centerpiece of Cheika’s squad assortments for years to come.
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