Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
On this day in 2007 Argentina and Ireland faced-off in a pool match in Paris. In what was the final fixture of Pool D the South Americans made history by winning the match and the group to advance to the Quarter Finals to face Scotland.
The fixture marked the third consecutive Rugby World Cup that the teams had met. Like the previous two a loss meant elimination for one and victory meant progression for the other. In 1999 Argentina had won in Lens while in 2003 Ireland won by a single point in Adelaide.
2007 was different. Argentina had put together a team virtually fully professional. The one exception in the starting lineup was Horacio Agulla, a young winger called in for the injured José Maria Nunez Piossek.
Agulla would be one of Argentina’s two try scorers against Ireland. The other was right winger Lucas Borges. Both players scored following periods of Pumas forward might. Indeed it was the forwards who lay the platform with a solid scrum, maul and lineout giving Agustín Pichot go-forward ball throughout.
Pichot’s partnership with Juan Martín Hernández was outstanding. Having played together for Stade Français in the Top 14 they went on to be a game-changing combination for Los Pumas. With Felipe Contepomi playing inside center it was a lethal combination of skill, danger and balance.
Ireland had their own magic with captain Brian O’Driscoll at the top of his game. He was joined by star power in the form of Paul O’Connell, Jerry Flannery, Ronan O’Gara and Gordon D’Arcy. All have been among Ireland’s best in the professional era with European club titles to their names.
O’Driscoll led well and had support from these players. Argentina, though, was able to put a stranglehold on the game to ultimately win 30-15. An off-game from O’Gara was in contrast to Juan Martín Hernández’ performance. In one of the best performances of his career El Mago landed three drop goals and helped create Agulla’s try.
Following the World Cup Agulla signed to play in the Top 14 for Dax. He has remained in Europe ever since. The exposure to professionalism was central to Argentina’s success in the 2003-2007 years. Since then the establishment of PladAR and entrance into SANZAAR has secured Argentina’s longterm future.
ARGENTINA
15 Ignacio Corleto, 14 Lucas Borges, 13 Manuel Contepomi, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Agustín Pichot (capt.), Gonzalo Longo, 7 Juan Martin Fernández Lobbe, 6 Lucas Ostiglia, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Ignacio Fernández Lobbe, 3 Martín Scelzo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero
Replacements: 16 Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17 Omar Hasan Jalil, 18 Rimas Álvarez Kairelis, 19 Martín Durand, 20 Nicolás Fernandez Miranda, 21 Federico Todeschini, 22 Hernán Senillosa.
IRELAND
15 Geordan Murphy, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O’Driscoll (capt.), 12 Gordon D’Arcy, 11 Denis Hickie, 10 Ronan O’Gara, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Denis Leamy, 7 David Wallace, 6 Simon Easterby, 5 Paul O’Connell, 4 Donnacha O’Callaghan, 3 John Hayes, 2 Jerry Flannery, 1 Marcus Horan
Replacements: 16 Rory Best, 17 Bryan Young, 18 Malcolm O’Kelly, 19 Neil Best, 20 Isaac Boss, 21 Paddy Wallace, 22 Gavin Duffy
