Argentina

We finally have Argentina joining the fray. Many in Australia and New Zealand are expecting them to be very easily brushed aside. I however anticipate and hope for much more. They are a side laden with some truly exceptional talent. Along with Italy they possess the most depth in the front row. This out numbering most other countries combined! Here is a brief overview of a potential squad for the Rugby Championship

and a few names to familiarize yourself with:

Prop
Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers, England)
Maximilano Bustos (Montpellier, France)
Juan Figallo (Montpellier, France)
Juan Orlandi (Racing Métro, France)
Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Français, France)
Hooker
Andres Bordoy (Pau, France)
Matias Corteze (Gloucester, England)
Agustín Creevy (Montpellier, France)

Secondrow
Patricio Albacete (Toulouse, France)
Manuel Carizza (Biarrtiz, France)
Mariano Galarza (Los Pampas XV)
Tomas Vallejos Cinalli (Harlequins, England)

Backrow
Alejandro Campos (Los Pampas XV)
Julio Farías Cabello (Los Pampas XV)
Tomás de la Vega (Los Pampas XV)
Alvaro Galindo (Racing Métro, France)
Juan Leguizamón (Lyon, France)
Juan Fernández Lobbe (Toulon, France)
Leonardo Senatore (Toulon, France)

Scrumhalf
Agustín Figuerola (Brive, France)
Alfredo Lalanne (London Scottish, England)
Nicolás Vergallo (Toulouse, France)

Flyhalf
Felipe Contepomi (Stade Français, France)
Juan Martín Hernández (Racing Métro, France)
Ignacio Mieres (Exeter Chiefs, England)

Centre
Marcelo Bosch (Biarritz, France)
Santiago Fernández (Montpellier, France)
Martín Rodríguez Gurruchaga (Stade Français, France)
Gonzalo Tiesi (Stade Français, France)

Back-Three
Horacio Agulla (Leicester Tigers, England)
Lucas González Amorosino (Montpellier, France)
Martín Bustos Moyano (Montpellier, France
Gonzalo Camacho (Exeter Chiefs, England)
Juan Imhoff (Racing Métro, France)
Joaquín Tuculet (Sale Sharks, England)

Regarding their desired style of play? Headcoach Santiago Phelan believes that a move to a more expansive game could prove to be their undoing. For these reasons he does not want to abandon the core strengths of Argentine rugby. Instead, a more dynamic style is something he wants to gradually move towards. This is very commendable, particularly under pressure from the ja brus that endorse a sloppy try fest. We can expect to see clever tactical kicking, strong scrumming and set pieces with a real hard edge on defence.
v Australia
I think Australia could be in for a very rough ride this year. Particularly if they get hammered by South Africa and New Zealand. Australia are extraordinarily frail to physicality. As pointed out in 2010, their backline only really has one player that can offer genuine penetration, that is Beale. If you cut down their space and use your defensive line to cut the outside channels and press their half backs, they have a very strong tendency to fall apart. Couple this with Argentina's powerful Bajada scrum and the Wallabies could be in some very hot water. So I think this is the match-up that best suits Argentina. Australia have been defeated by Argentina on four occassions though they have not met since 2003. They manfully stood up to the newly crowned World Champions 32-25 in 2000.

v South Africa
Tests between the Boks and the Pumas have tended to become real arm-wrestles. Jake warned his players in 2005 to expect a tough game from them in 2005. He said that at half time they started to take him much more seriously as Argentina were leading 20-16 at half time. A late Juan smith try seasled a 34-23 victory for the Boks. Argentina have had their moments in South Africa too. In 2003, a hardy Puma side were denied their first win over the Boks by a Louis Koen penalty after the siren sounded. In 2008 the Pumas led the Boks 9-0 before a second half onslaught saw the Boks rack up 63 points. The ELVs clearly took their toll on the visitors. A side that had severely exposed the Boks frailties in the first half, which would be followed by two humiliating defeats to New Zealand (19-0) and Australia (15-27). So in short, Argentina have the pedigree to take us on on our own ground!

v New Zealand
The two very first meetings between the Pumas and the All Blacks were in 1985. New Zealand clinched a very close first in a 33-20 victory but Los Pumas responded to come back from an 18-9 halftime deficit to draw the second match 21-21 in front of 30,000 fans. Since that time Argentina have had their moments. More recently losing 20-24 and 19-25 in their last two meeting on home soil. They have fared less well in New Zealand though where they have conceded some very large scores. That said, the All Blacks have been looking rather average, and their illegal tactics saved the day in their World Cup encounter last year. I think Argentina could very well knock New Zealand over. You can see some footage from that draw here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyKMkzKlYpQ&feature=player_embedded

Rugby Championship Schedule

Round 1
Australia v New Zealand (ANZ Stadium, Sydney)
South Africa v Argentina (Newlands, Cape Town)

Round 2
New Zealand v Australia (Eden Park)
Argentina v South Africa (Estadio Malvinas, Mendoza)

Round 3
Australia v South Africa (Patersons Stadium, Perth)
New Zealand v Argentina (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)

Round 4
Australia v Argentina (Skilled Park, Gold Coast)
New Zealand v South Africa (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)

Round 5
South Africa v Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Argentina v New Zealand (Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata)

Round 6
South Africa v New Zealand (FNB Stadium, Johannesburg)
Argentina v Australia (Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario)

The schedule is the best yet! No more by weeks. There will be two matches played on the same day every round. Having a fourth opponent

makes

the tournament that much more balanced. Nice to be back to two games against each side, perfectly even.

I posted this from a word pad document. Unfortunately, the layout was not preserved, nor could I undo the bold text all the way through. My appologies for these flaws.

I must be honest...

Im so glad the Argies are joining us.

1. Its great exposure for them.

2. The rugga they play is so entertaining

3. The current format with NZ, Aus and SA needed a bit of a refresh

4. We will be able to hold our heads up high and say "we didn't come last" at the end of each years competition!!

I would be very wary if I were SANZAR, Argentina should by no means be underestimated. There is no guarantee that they may finish last this year. If they can ensure that they are at least moderately conditioned then they'll be a big factor this year. Australia could very well find themselves squeezed to the bottom. They are after all the least adaptable side with the least amount of talent. All they really have is an ability to run riot in acres of space. Argentina are highly adept at cutting out space and under Heyneke we will no longer have the worst defence of all first class teams. That puts alot of pressure on their very light pack to make up for their mosquito backline. They cannot apply tactical pressure through the boot either. So in short, Argentina have better set pieces, better defence and monstrous physicality, precision tactical kickers and a real presence at the breakdown. At home they have competed very strongly against three SANZAR sides and with regular tests away to us they will innevitably develop a winning culture.

I am very glad they are joining.  I think their rugby will benefit a lot from this. I take it their overseas players will be released for the competition?

I also hope their refs will not bend over backwards to accomodate nz like ours and oz do!!!

No questions about their forwards. Their backs I would have expected to be better. Can't see us ending last with Meyer as coach! If we do not show marked improvement by the end of year I will be disappointed for sure.

Nice post card.

Best of all the Argies may teach us all how to scrum again.  Boks have not had  a big scrumming side for some time now. Its a lost art?

We have had big packs - eg Jakes pack at the Wc. But it was shunted back time and again by Argentina and england. We lack technique but could learn it from Argentina - who doubtless will show us the value of the scrum if we ever doubted it.

We are not the only side that is average in the scrum. Australia and New Zealand both have very substandard scrums. New Zealand though were 4th/5th best under Jake's term; being under Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, Romania and, at times, England. The powerful Bajada scrum could be a very lethal weapon on home soil in particular. Just looking at the schedule again we can see that both South Africa et Argentina are at home for their final two games. A lot of travelling for the Kiwis and Wallabies. I feel this will be significant. It's going to go down to the wire here. I hope not to be disappointed. 

I would rather see the French playing as they are more competitive.

Argentina is another soccer nation and hopefully they are only experimenting with this idea.

If the Argies consistently lose then they should forget about wasting players time and effort  in an already busy season. Because if the Argies are'nt competitive and it's not a spectacle for rugby fans then what's the point ?