Most Capped Lineup: Argentina

What would a lineup look like continuing the most capped players per country? In the case of Argentina the answer is that it would appear very modern. Only one player is exclusively from the amateur era and five played in Rugby World Cup 2015.

1 – Marcos Ayerza (66 caps, 43 starts) Having been backup to Rodrigo Roncero for so long Ayerza took over and maintained Argentina’s scrumming excellence. With Ayerza at loosehead the scrum and Pumas pack, in general, was highly competitive. He played from 2004-2015 for his country, defeating all opposition except for New Zealand.  Ayerza’s defensive work against Georgia at Rugby World Cup 2011 won numerous turnovers.

2 – Mario Ledesma (84 caps, 67 starts) ‘Super Mario’ was a true warrior. He played on until the age of 38, starting against New Zealand in a Rugby World Cup 2011 Quarter Final. His test career span 15 years from 1996-2011. He is commonly considered as being the best hooker at Rugby World Cups 1999 and 2007. 2003, though, was a weak point. The famous win over Ireland in 1999 was with Ledesma at the center-point of a powerful scrum.

3 – Omar Hasan (65 caps, 48 starts) Versatile Federico Méndez earned 73 caps. But with 50 of these being at hooker he misses out to not only Ledesma but at both loosehead and tighthead prop. Hasan earned the most caps of any player at tighthead. A Puma from 1995-2007, Hasan appeared in three World Cups. He scored a try in his final test match, the Bronze Final triumph over France in 2007.

4 – Ignacio Fernández Lobbe (66 caps, 61 starts) For 12 years Ignacio Fernández Lobbe was a Puma. He was prominent in his three Rugby World Cup campaigns. His test career spanned 1996-2008 but he was bought out of retirement by both Bath and Northampton in England. Nacho scored a try in his final test match appearance, against Scotland in Buenos Aires in 2008.

5 – Pedro Sporleder (78 caps, 72 starts) The most capped Argentine second-rower is Sporleder. In Los Pumas from 1990-2003 he appeared in four Rugby World Cups. In 2002 he ran in four tries against Paraguay. He went to his final World Cup as cover with Particio Albacete, Ignacio Fernández Lobbe, and Rimas Álvarez Kairelis ahead of him.

6 – Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (71 caps, 69 starts) Regarded as Argentina’s best loose forward of the professional era, ‘Corcho’ fitted in well at any position in the back row. He had a 43 – 28 split of tests at flanker and no8. His turnover ability, carrying, tackling, and lineout work place him among the leading players in recent Rugby World Cups. He started in two World Cup Semi Finals.

7 – Rolando Martín (86 caps, 77 starts) ‘The Yankee’ was one of Argentina’s first players to play professional rugby. From 1994-2003 Martín was a constant in Los Pumas teams. He appeared in Rugby World Cups 1995, 1999, and 2003. His cheeky try against Ireland in 2002 lives on as a valuable lesson to kids learning the game.

8 – Juan Manuel Leguizamón (75 caps, 58 starts) Still an active Puma, the 33-year-old Leguizamón has Felipe Contepomi’s caps record within his slights. When the Santiago del Estero no8 debuted against Japan in 2005, head coach Marcelo Loffreda realized he had a player of massive potential. Leguizamón has played in three Rugby World Cups. In the 2013 Rugby Championship he scored tries in consecutive matches against South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

9 – Agustín Pichot (71 caps, 69 starts) The command of Pichot as captain was the ultimate power of the scrumhalf. Combined with his exceptional play he was Argentina’s first world famous player since Hugo Porta. He played in Rugby World Cups 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007, leading the South Americans to their historic Bronze Medal in France. He was involved in wins over powerful sides including Australia, England and France. The lows of Adelaide in 2003 turned him into the force his country needed in 2007.

10 – Felipe Contepomi (87 caps, 75 starts) Debuting for Argentina at the age of 21 the Newman flyhalf would remain in the team until aged 36. Contepomi played in four World Cups, captaining Los Pumas in New Zealand 2011. A 31-point-haul over France in 2010 was the high point of the Santiago Phelan coaching era.

11 – Horacio Agulla (63 caps, 52 starts) A veteran of three World Cups, Agulla was a mainstay until his international retirement in 2015. He was a regular under different coaches before being used as cover for Juan Imhoff and Santiago Cordero in his final year. This ended a more than decade-long run as a Puma. Agulla’s try against Ireland in Rugby World Cup 2007 saw the South Americans going into half time in control of the match.

12 – Lisandro Arbizu (86 caps, 83 starts) Like Contepomi, Arbizu was a natural flyhalf. Both men played in a number of positions. Arbizu started mostly at inside center.  Arbizu was in the team from 1990-2005. He played in Rugby World Cups 1991, 1995, and 1999. A broken leg against Canada in August 2003 ruled him out of playing in a fourth Rugby World Cup. 3 of 17 tries were against New Zealand, the best of these in mid-2001.

13 – Diego Cuesta Silva (65 caps, 65 starts) Arguably the most famous of Argentina’s outside centers is Diego Cuesta Silva. He was a Puma from 1983-1995 and played in the first three Rugby World Cups. Cuesta Silva was also capped on both the wing and at fullback but 40 of his caps were at outside center. This is three more than the total number of caps earned by Gonzalo Tiesi.  Cuesta Silva’s try in the draw against New Zealand in 1985 remains one of Argentina’s greatest in history.

14 – Diego Albanese (55 caps, 47 starts) A long stay in Los Pumas, Albanese played in three Rugby World Cups. The three campaigns were very different with the highlight being 1999. Albanese’s try against Ireland is still talked about today as one of the greatest in Argentine rugby history. Albanese, though, scored better tries for his country. A case in point being the 2002 score against France which Los Pumas won 28-27.

15 – Joaquín Tuculet (40 caps, 37 starts) The fullback position was one which Daniel Hourcade quickly altered. Upon replacing Santiago Phelan he made Tuculet his first choice player at the back. He has been Los Pumas fullback since November 2013 for this reason. It saw Juan Martín Hernández moving to inside center. Of El Mago’s 66 caps with 25 were at fullback. Lucas González Amorosino has 52 tests but the majority have been on the wing. Tuculet’s try against Ireland saw the South Americans into safety en route to winning the 2015 Quarter Final.