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Argentina rugby mourns the loss of Bernardo Miguens. The former CUBA and Puma fullback suffered an accident while on vacation in Pinamar and was unable to respond to treatment. He passed away while being transported to Buenos Aires. He was 58.
The fourth child of a rugby family, his brothers Javier and Hugo were both also Pumas. Javier was a scrum half and Hugo a flanker. Hugo even captained his country in the 1970’s. Like the Contepomi’s and Fernández Lobbe families of recent World Cups it was often families which helped make Argentina rugby great.
A Puma from 1983-1987, Miguens was capped 12 times by his country. All of his test appearances were in the starting lineup with elven of them being at fullback. His first action as a Puma was his one cap in another position, playing center against a World XV.
By today’s standards 12 test matches are not very many at all. But what Bernardo Miguens achieved during his test career has gone down in history. He was the starting fullback in Argentina’s famous 1983 win over Australia in Brisbane. He would also help Argentina to wins over France in 1985 and 1986 and a draw against New Zealand in 1985.
The Miguens tradition continues at CUBA. Two of Bernardo’s sons Mariano and Joaquín Miguens play for the club today. They are two of the late Bernardo’s thirteen children.
It was family and rugby that Bernardo Miguens was famous for. Indeed he has been quoted as saying “what is more important than having Saturday morning’s to take your son to play rugby.”
