They (already) no longer have the right to make mistakes. After only one match, the Pumas are playing for their survival in this World Cup against Samoa, Friday September 22 in Saint-Étienne (5:45 p.m.), in this Group D which is, however, affordable on paper. This single contested meeting quickly took on the appearance of an ordeal, as Argentina did everything in reverse against 14 Englishmen (10-27), on September 9 in Marseille.
“We have already analyzed and turned the page on England, there is no point coming back to it a week later,” said the former opener and now assistant coach, Felipe Contepomi, at a press conference. Was the accident, a thesis defended by the former Stade Français player, really one? This is not said. Despite their numerical superiority from the 3rd minute, the Argentines entered the game of England who, precisely, stuck to a very restrictive plan, alternating upwind play and occupation.
Show yourself more conquerors in front
The Pumas were very undisciplined (13 fouls) and were never able to finish this match played in numerical superiority from the 3rd minute onwards. They lost 16 balls in the game and four in touch. The time for “self-criticism” has now come, recalled Contepomi, himself a fan of the exercise. “I wonder about the way I prepared the team,” he conceded. In training, I was very lenient with these ball losses. We now need to improve on this point. »
The sector seems essential, especially against a Samoan team hungry for these recovery balls to wrap up the game. “And they have a solid, powerful and dominant pack, we will have to beat them in this sector,” added pillar Mayco Vivas. The adversity was less, but Samoa secured their victory against Chile (43-10 Sunday) by the strength of their forwards. For an Argentina heckled on its touches (4 lost balls) and incapable of challenging the English in their rucks, the challenge is great.
A second early elimination in a row?
In any case, nothing more was needed to revive the specter of a second elimination in a row in the pools, while the Pumas had extricated themselves from the first phase during the three previous meetings. “It would be a mistake to draw a parallel, they are different situations,” nuanced scrum-half Tomas Cubelli. In 2019, they were eliminated by France and England in the group stage. And since this failure, Argentine rugby seems to continue its decline. Covid-19, the cause of the disappearance of the Jaguares franchise in Super Rugby, did not help. The best Pumas are now forced into exile in Europe and have lost their common automatisms.
This is reflected in recent results, with three small victories in their last twelve matches. Two of them were won by a point against other nations that were adrift (England in November and Australia in July) or much weaker (Spain at the end of August). Losing confidence, the Pumas have everything to lose against these Samoans without much pressure, who have been absent from the quarter-finals of the World Cup since 1995. And at the rate things are going, we do not exclude Japan either , rather consistent for an hour against England (12-34 defeat) and Argentina’s last opponent, on October 8. But it’s all about staying alive until then…
