The Pumas although underdogs will take tha game to England, this will be no walk over!
England after tomorrow will be halfway through their autumn international campaign and thinking a fixture against Argentina will be an easy, England has another thing coming.
Currently the South Americans don’t have the same status within rugby that can match the South Africans or the All blacks, but their physical and competitive nature can match anyone.
If I’m honest Argentina deserve far higher status and respect than they get. Currently above England in the IRB world rankings, the Puma’s have won two of the last three encounters with England. Their heroic victory at Twickenham two years ago seen the end of Andy Robinson’s reign at England.
Argentina are in a similar situation to England, They are missing a number of key players like Juan-Martin Hernandez, Jaun leguizamon and the illustrious fly half Felipe Contepomi. However their biggest lost is scrum-half and captain Agustin Pichot, who lead Argentina to a unpredicted third in the 2007 world cup shrugging off France and Ireland, while giving South Africa a scare in the semi’s. Pichot was also at the front seat of Argentina’s climb up the rankings these past years.
However, one thing that is of concern to me, is that Argentina’s squad is currently scattered all over the globe eight players have joined the international team from amateur clubs back in Argentina. While the other 21 in the squad have regular appearances in the Guinness Premiership, the French top 14 and the Magners league.
Although Argentina will suffer without players like Pichot, Contepomi and Hernandez, the prospect of playing at Twickenham as underdogs is no worry for Captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Jonny wilkinson’s team mate at Toulon), who views Twickenham stadium as the pinnacle of rugby.
The puma’s as ever, will defend fiercely and attack creatively so Martin Johnson’s squad will have to treat the underdogs as if they are the favourites.
(oh yeah, and keep you eye out for England’s new purple kit, I think it still needs to grow on me)
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