Pumas hope to prove worth
2008-08-01 10:57
Johannesburg - The Mandela Tribute Test against South Africa in Johannesburg on Aug. 9 will be important in Argentina's push to join the Tri-nations, Pumas coach Santiago Phelan said on Thursday.
Phelan's 26-man squad includes nine players who featured in the World Cup semi-final loss to the Springboks in Paris last
October and is the best available following the retirement of
several key Pumas and injury to others including flyhalf Juan
Martin Hernandez.
Forwards Gonzalo Longo, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Omar
Hasan are among those who have quit international rugby while
wing Jose Nunez Piossek is back after he had to withdraw from
the World Cup squad at the last minute because of injury.
"This game is very important not only because we hope to be involved in the Tri-nations in the future, but because each time we play South Africa it is very important," Phelan told a newsconference.
"We are looking forward to playing more Tests in the year
and this is a very good opportunity for us. If you play against
the best, it will make you improve and that is the reason we
came here for this very exciting and important game.
"We have brought the best players we have, some of them have recently finished their seasons in Europe, and we have a lot of expectations. We expect a good game."
Mixed results
However, Argentina's chances of a first victory over South
Africa are slim given that the world champions are currently
involved at the top of international rugby in Tri-nations
matches against New Zealand and Australia.
Argentina, who have only played three test matches in the
nine months since the World Cup, have had mixed results at home
against Scotland and Italy.
Hooker Mario Ledesma, the Pumas vice-captain, said he hoped
the team would be able to move forward from their third-place
finish in the World Cup.
"The perception of Argentine rugby maybe grew a bit after we finished third at the World Cup and now we are trying to
construct a team and we will try to give the Springboks a hard
fight," said Ledesma.
Ledesma said he was disappointed his Clermont teammate John
Smit, South Africa's World Cup captain, was injured and would
miss the match, which is part of the 90th birthday celebrations
of former South African president Nelson Mandela.
Argentina are still to beat the Springboks after 12
meetings, although the result of their last match in South
Africa hung in the balance until the hosts scraped home 26-25 at
the death in Port Elizabeth in 2003.