“I would only pick three players from Europe if they were available”

At the end of an unsuccessful year Argentina’s Head Coach has defended selection policies. “I would only pick three players from Europe if they were available“, he told a group of hand-picked media in Buenos Aires.

His comment comes at a time in which his position as Head Coach has been questioned. Argentina’s stated aims of three wins out of four November Internationals fell short. Los Pumas defeated Japan before losing three in-a-row in the UK last month.

In the Rugby Championship Los Pumas were also unable to deliver on their stated goals. Argentina had targeted two wins in the competition but got a return of one win and five losses. This followed a tied home series against France in June. The loss was an inept 27-0 defeat.

Since taking over from Santiago Phelan in October 2013 Hourcade had always selected from Europe. Players from the Aviva Premiership, Guinness Pro 12 and Top 14 leagues had representing Argentina. This ended in 2016.

Hourcade was, under orders from the UAR, forced into coaching test rugby without foreign-based players. At his disposal he had all those based in Argentina and any other in Super Rugby. This limited the player pool to Los Jaguares and Tomás Cubelli of the Brumbies.

Injuries required the call-up of players outside of the Jaguares from June to November. In many instances this occurred with inexperienced players receiving game time. Santiago González Iglesias started against Australia in Twickenham at fly half. Similarly both Ignacio Larrague and Marcos Kremer were used as replacement second-rowers.

González Iglesias had never before had he played 10 against a Tier 1 or 2 opponent. Recent graduates of Los Pumitas, both second-rowers were debutantes this year. All three were used out of necessity. Hourcade’s hand was forced due to European Pumas being off-limits.

Hourcade’s needs also saw a number of athletes were used out of position. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro moved to Loose Head prop and Javier Ortega Desio started at second-row in both June and the Rugby Championship. Despite all being centers by trade Matías Moroni, Matías Orlando and Juan Pablo Estelles all started test matches as wingers in November.

Estelles joined Cubelli in being foreign-based. He did so due to his contract with Northampton being short term. His appearances against Scotland and England were due to Manuel Montero and Ramiro Moyano touring yet being unfit to play. Felipe Arregui also trained with the roster during November.

The three players Hourcade would select, if available, remain undisclosed. That is to say, two of them do. Hourcade has admitted that one of them is Juan Imhoff, a winger. The Racing 92 flier was tied with Adam Ashley-Cooper as the top try scorer of the 2015 Rugby Championship. He was also Argentina’s leading try scorer at the World Cup with five.

Imhoff’s teammate at Racing 92, Manuel Carizza has been in fine form this season. He was a surpass omission from Rugby World Cup 2015 after having an outstanding match against New Zealand. Mariano Galarza was selected though this year has missed out.

Also falling victim this year have been props Marcos Ayerza and Juan Figallo. Without them youth has been utilized. Felipe Arregui, Santiago García Botta, and Enrique Pieretto all joined Lucas Noguera Paz in featuring in the 23.

Others, such as Axel Muller, Lucas Martínez, Nicolás Mirande, Manuel Plaza, Joaquín Paz, Juan Novillo, and Facundo Panceyra Garrido have departed for Europe recently. Limited places have seen the calling of greener pastures.

Some players have returned. As example being Nahuel Lobo but those to potentially be the other two that Hourcade would select remain off-limits. In all likelihood the players are two of Ayerza, Carizza, Figallo, Galarza, Marcelo Bosch or Clermont fly half Patricio Fernández, the latter of whom will not be home before 2020.

Fernández, himself, has openly made it known that he wants to play for Los Pumas. He tweeted that ”inclusion is one of the most important things of this sport”. Tagged were the foreign-based Arregui, Figallo, and Imhoff.