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Paul Williams looks at how Argentina have gone against the grain to become the most improved side in world rugby
2024 has been one of the most successful periods in the history of Argentinian rugby. This year’s Rugby Championship has arguably been the greatest thing to happen to Pumas since Bagheera left behind the growls of the animal world and became fluent in English.
They’ve beaten South Africa, New Zealand and Australia in one season, for the first time ever. That’s an achievement that really shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s only the fifth time all three have been beaten in a calendar year by anyone (stat via Squidge Rugby). They may have lost to South Africa in the final round of The Rugby Championship, but they are without doubt the most improved team this season in tier one rugby.
The Pumas, under Felipe Contepomi, have played some of those most creative rugby in The Rugby Championship. Very few teams have managed to break down the Boks’ midfield like the Pumas did in the penultimate weekend. Rotated Bok squad or not, Santiago Chocobares was pouring through midfield like melted chocolate bars.
Plus, there came the breakthrough performances from Tomas Albornoz at ten. A player who has been shredding the URC for over 18 months. Then there’s the Pumas (up until the final round) keeping their card count at zero. Which when you consider that team still has regular appearances from Tomás Lavanini is quite an achievement – it’s the equivalent of converting the Kray twins into care assistants.
Argentina’s approach to test rugby is totally unique in the global game. But we aren’t just talking about attack, defence, transitional play or technical improvements at the set piece. It’s Argentina’s approach off the field which makes them different..
Argentina away from the field
Their approach is unique in that whilst every other union is trying to keep all of their players in their domestic leagues. Argentina aren’t. In essence, whilst most unions are desperately trying to keep their kids at home, Argentina have let them all move out at the age of 16. Which comes with some massive benefits, but also an unfortunate drawback.
The desire to keep your players at home is understandable, but very expensive. As much as this will annoy current professional rugby players (who deserve credible wages for the level of grief that they put their bodies through), the peak of expensive rugby contracts is behind us. In England this is particularly evident. The English Premiership’s drop in salary cap has helped hugely in dropping global wage inflation for example. However, Ireland, France and Japan are still able to offer contracts that will lure players away from their homes.
Argentina’s Santiago Chocobares runs over New Zealand’s Cortez Ratima. (Photo by Grant Down / AFP)
Some unions have developed strategies to counter this problem. South Africa have adopted a policy of selecting players from overseas. Australia too, to a degree. Wales have a similar situation with their 25-cap rule. But many nations such as Ireland, England and notably the All Blacks still refuse to budge. It’s a situation which will be impossible to maintain in the long term for all but the unions with the most robust finances.
Indeed, this month, English rugby has decided to offer 25 hybrid central contracts to players in an effort to keep them playing in England. A situation that some supporters will hate due to the increased meddling of unions in club rugby recruitment and player availability. But many of those supporters need to understand that it is test rugby that pays the bills, not club rugby. As much as rugby supporters want to adopt the model found in soccer, where club soccer is more popular than international soccer, that simply isn’t the case in rugby – French rugby being the marginal exception.
Argentina have of course gone the other way. Although it was a result of financial circumstances, the Pumas have let their players play where they like. Other than two or three players in the most recent Argentinian squads (who play their domestic rugby at home), everyone else has flown the nest. It means that someone else is now paying paying their rent, food bills, car insurance and phone bills – it’s every parent’s dream.
The financial benefits are of course obvious on a player level. But not only does it save a fortune on players and their associated costs, but it also saves big bucks on sustaining a professional competition in Argentina – the costs of which are enormous.
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Reaping the benefits
Many will argue that not having your best players playing in your domestic competition ruins the potential uptake of the game by youngsters, but that isn’t true. Many youngsters are engaged with the game at test level, not club. As long as your youngsters are engaged with the game at test level as a viewing spectacle, they will still enter the playing funnel – as long as the grass roots are suitable watered.
There are of course major benefits to having your professional players overseas, outside of the financial upsides. One of those being that the whole squad gets to play different countries, under different coaches. There is a subtle level of Argentinian genius to all of this, whether intended or not. By sending your players to Europe, you are stacking squads in Europe with Argentinian players, who then take the place of domestic players, thus stifling the test level production line of other nations.
Julian Montoya of Leicester Tigers looks on during the Gallagher Premiership. (Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)
You are also bringing home all of the intel from those nations to the Pumas. Is it a coincidence that Argentina seem to spring more surprise wins over the Boks and All Blacks than any other team in the world? Or does that overseas intel help in some way? The Pumas are always pitched as the underdogs, yet regularly ended up hanging off the neck of a bigger nation like a frothing XL Bully.
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Then there is the downside, and it is a big downside. The Puma’s players don’t have a rugby season. It you mention the words ‘rugby season’ to an Argentinian player, you’ll get a blank stare. They play all year round with no summer break, as The Rugby Championship sits in the European summer. It’s a major negative for player welfare and one that also affects the South African players.
The Pumas are constantly proving people wrong. They were told they weren’t good enough to compete with the big three in the southern hemisphere – they are. And whilst the rest of the world is blasting a load of cash up the wall to stop their players moving to France etc. – the Pumas aren’t.
The Pumas don’t approach rugby like anyone else. In any regard. And I love everything about it. Well played Argentina.
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