Arg vs SA

[Laney]

SA 26 Arg 25

Argentina deserved to win this match and will probably feel a bit cheated, but they can hold their heads high for a tremendous performance.

Argentina are playing strong rugby in the open, with good interlinking between backs and forwards. They're very good at passing in or after the contact situation, and staying on their feet and offloading to the supporting players coming on to the ball at pace. They outscored SA 3 tries to 2 and all 3 tries were built on this sort of play (they played like this 2nd test vs France too).

SA were missing a lot of first up tackles and giving easy metres to Arg. However, they forwards looked very good. They were hunting as a pack and clearing out good quality ball for the halfback. But the backs were very ordinary. They seemed to lack inventiveness, all they were doing was drifting across field and passing it out one by one. The pumas had this attack covered very easily.

Arg had dominated the game for 70 minutes and were deserving of their 25-16 lead. At this point SA made some changes in the forwards and bought on Brent Russell. Arg decided to close up shop and hold on for the final whistle. In my opinion this is a big mistake... when you stop playing you lose your shape and teams tend to come unstuck.

SA had plenty of ball but seemed to bumble along as they had up to that point. In the 77th minute they were attacking in the Arg 22 and finnaly managed to score, Russell getting on the outside of his man and going in under the posts.

From the kickoff there were a bunch of knock-ons and restarts until SA got the ball in their own 22. They ran it out on the left side up to half way and then shifted it right to get to the Arg 22 by rumbling it up and a series of breaks constantly making them metres. Then they got the inevitable penalty for hands in the ruck on the tramlines which Koen dutifully converted. Game over.

SA played a get out of jail card today. But I think this helps put the France game in perspective!

[ugly ref]

Agreed Laney

In the last 4 years there's been this mindset- there are 5 top teams in the world then there's a gulf.

I hope Argentina can maintain their consistency thru to RWC and really compete with the big guys.

Its great to have a top S American team, and let that success emante through to other countries like Uruguay, Chile and bulid them up.

then we can become a truly global sport.

Score update from tonight in Singapore. Singapore 31 Malaysia 13.

Going for a beer at Father Flanagan's now.

ugly

[3me]

It was very unlucky for the Pumas then again after two narrow wins in Buenos Aires this year. I suppose, something has to give!

There were some great moments like all the Puma tries, the Springboks second try and the last fanatic 5 minutes of the game. There was a lot of turnovers and penalties.

Overall, this match indicates that the Pumas deserves to play more games with the big boys. And the Springboks are still a long way to go in terms of being a World Cup contender this year!

[Geeves]

A very good game from the Pumas.

There ability to cause the turn over and then exploit the situation with exciting and inovative play by all their players was a joy to watch.  As they seam to have total faith in their support to be their when they pass the ball onto a player at speed.  They are going to have a good RWC and I recon they are going to cause a number of injuries in the Wallabies in the opening RWC game.

Laney is definatley right about the limited attack by the SA backs.  They are really developing into a dour lot.  And just trying to win the game via possession in the forwards and Koen to take full advantage of the penalties.  This game plan has nearly failled badly twice so far with Scotland also being unlucky to loose their first test.

[Nathan]

Who can remember back to the times when New Zealand rugby decided to put some resources into developing Australian rugby all those years ago? And who from New Zealand regrets that now? Methinks that we won't be so happy about how strong the Argies have become when they start beating us like Australia is now capable of doing!  

Other teams that will likely become very strong in future: Canada and the USA. Canada because it's a commonwealth country and so rugby will probably be culturally successful, and the USA because of all the money and professionalism that's there. Watch out for them in 20 years time.

[England Jim]

interesting point Nathan. not so sure about the US. we were told that about there soccer side 10 years ago and the US (except for the womens team) is still crap.  my money is on Italy to get better and the growth to come from somewhere like - Georgia,  Morroco or Russia.  All of whom have decent 7's teams and are pushing for greater recognition.  Morroco especially must have a chance if they can persuade the French to stop nicking all their best players.  Would be great if Zim had a chance to develop but under RM thats never gonna happen.

Jim

[ugly ref]

Living in the centre of a developing rugby area I think there is a problem that Nathan alluded to.

We all love rugby and want it to be a global game. But unfortunately if it became a truly world-wide game NZ would slowly be edged out, because heritage is no replacement for a huge population catchment. The fact we can still compete against countries like ENgland is incredible!

And to tell you truth its obvious that the IRB and its members only pay lip-service to development. They want to grow the game as long as that means they get to keep their place at the top of the table.

The 7s tour has been great for the game to develop in Asia but its not profitable, and won't be for 10-15 years if you're lucky.

But its one of those benefits you can't see on paper, the press coverage the tournaments bring for the game to countries like China, Singapore Malaysia are worth its weight in gold.

Saw India play last week, they lost miserably, but its always been one of my dreams to get $3million pa from the IRB, go into India and get some of these big ugly Sikhs that play a game called kabadi (like bullrush) pop them into camp, and turn them into a great rugby team.

You just have to see the work G SImpkin is doing with the Chinese to know that soon international rugby will be a global game, but to speed it up, we need to spend more of the RWC profits on real development on the ground, not 1st class/biz class tickets for some of the IRB idiots that visit SIngapore often.

The longer there is

no major world war and armies need contact sports to keep their troops fulfilled

middle class keeps developing in 3rd world countries

rugby will continue to grow.

For me I just keep continuing to ref the young fellas in SIngapore.

Its great to see kids going against the grain in a soccer society and try rugby.

Every time I finish a game in 35 degrees 100% humidity and think this'll be the last game I ref in this heat, I remember the poor bugger who used to get up at 7.30 am in a 5 degreee frost and ref me when I was a kid!

At least the beer tastes even better in 33 degs!

That keeps me going
ugly

[Freewillie]

The Pumas deserve to win!!!

Well, I think it is time for SANZAR to consider Argentina to enter the Tri-nations!!! They are up there with the best!!

Ohh!!!! Australia watch out the Pumas are coming!!! That world cup opener will be a great one.

South Africa, the lucky sons of the b***tch**!!! Ever so lucky, their free out jail cards is fast running out!!! We will see in the Tri-Nations!!! Louis (S)Koen saved your butts!!! (Skoen - Afrikaans word for shoe)

Viva La Pumas!!!!