RWC2011 Profiles - Pool B - Argentina

In an effort to avoid classic case self-loathing the team have agreed to steer clear of their homelands in the group break downs for the upcoming World Cup. With that lets get things kicked off with Pool B.

Argentina

So after 4 years of isolation the puma’s re-emerge to once again become world-beaters and dominate all before them in a display of goal kicking brilliant and bruising forward play…Well almost, lets break it down a bit...

Forwards:

One thing that hasn’t changed too much in 4 years is the quality of forward play for Las Pumas with class operators like Ayerza, Fernandez Lobbe, Rodrigo Roncero and Mario Ledesma on the 30 man panel any team that plays them will be in for a bruising encounter in the tight exchanges. Expect solid set piece from this outfit along with the canny experience that only veterans like this can bring to the table

One point of concern might be that age in the squad, during general chat one thinks that Mario Ledesma has been around forever! Even with the inclusion of the relatively untested Juan Figallo the average age of a front rower in the squad is just under 30. Will they be able to stand up to the riggers of week in week out competition particularly in a group where two of the sides (Georgia and Romania) are renowned for their powerful packs?

Backs

Any squad that can boast the presence of one Felipe Contepomi in my opinion could be regarded as blessed. But in a common theme with the Pumas this mercurial talent isn’t getting any younger and will receive a lot of attention from young back rows eager to slay a giant, can this linchpin last a tournament?

Of course the Argentine back line isn’t a one man show! Gonzalo Tiesi should of course provide a steadying influence in the centre but to me a place of real interest is on the wing. Young Gonzalo Camahco of the Exeter Chiefs (formerly of Quins) along with Horacio Agulla will show some gas on the outside if they get the chance but to be honest (and regretfully) I don’t really see this as being the Argentine game plan. They’ll run some points up against the group minos but against tougher defenses I’d expect a good deal of “pick and go” close in stuff. So perhaps this back line might not exactly set the imaginations of the neutral alight

A notable absence is Juan Martin Hernandez, a player that lit up the stage during RWC 2007. His creativity will be sorely missed on the attacking side of the ball for the Puma’s. I feel injury has denied us a potential tournament star

Overall

Well overall I don’t think the Argentines are a bad side at all (splinter on the bum from fence sitting perhaps) We can expect them to be extremely well drilled in all aspects of the game. Up front as always they’ll be strong and their defence will be solid as a rock. Sadly the positives end here, barring Contepomi I expect some pedestrian attack play based on kicking your goals and positional play combined with a defense that players with flare (or even the ability to run a good dummy line) will leave unstuck does not a world beater make

Prediction

Good enough to get out of the group but no further. If you can manage your penalty count and take them on up front there’s plenty of beating in the once mighty pumas