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It is time for Argentina to play in Georgia. Los Pumas’ recent home match against the Lelos was the second occasion in which the teams have played a test match in Argentina. They have never played in Georgia, a fact which will hopefully not last for much longer.
Argentina vs Georgia History
Last month’s match was there fifth test match between the countries. Like the previous four, Argentina came out as winners. The 45-29 win was the second highest score by Los Pumas against the Georgians. But in scoring 29 points the Eastern Europeans surpassed their previous high of 18 points against Argentina.
The first time the teams met was at Rugby World Cup 2007. Played in Lyon, Los Pumas won 33-3, requiring a final minute score from Patricio Albacete to secure a bonus point. The match was four days after the tournament opener in which Argentina. Marcelo Loffreda made seven changes but his side was still too tired from facing France. Georgia were playing their first match of the campaign.
Four years on the teams met again, this time in Palmerston North. The Rugby World Cup 2011 fixture was the fourth pool match for both sides. Unlike 2007, all Pumas’ matches were played on weekends. Georgia was not so fortunate. The Lelos faced Argentina on October 02, backing up from facing Romania on September 28. Georgia made six changes for the match, one more than Argentina.
The Pumas pack had a tough campaign against four renowned scrums. This saw injuries with Rodrigo Roncero and Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe missing. Georgia was able to frustrate Argentina and push them hard. They went on to deny Argentina a bonus point though Argentina won 25-7.
Match three was played in San Juan in 2013. The June International was ideal for Santiago Phelan’s team. With Los Pumas new to the Rugby Championship and there yet to be professional rugby in the country the June Internationals were sacrificed. The choice was play in June or the Rugby Championship.
Phelan opted to field fringe players from Europe. In being a Tier 2 side Georgia was a closer match for a Pumas side deprived of Rugby Championship Pumas. The Lelos competed well but were unable to score a try. Tomás Cubelli’s breakaway try secured a 29-18 home victory.
The 2015 clash was a Rugby World Cup pool match in Gloucester. Both had opened the previous weekend. Georgia were fiercely competitive in the opening half but lost 54-9. The crucial moment was the yellow carding of captain Mamuka Gorgodze. The score changed from 14-9 to 35-9 while he was off.
Georgia had given Argentina plenty of trouble in the scrum. This theme would be exacerbated when the teams next met, playing last month in Jujuy. Georgian props Mikheil Nariashvili and Soso Bekoshvili were dominant and although Georgia outscored the home side in the second half Argentina won 45-29.
Argentine Historical Leadership
Prior to joining the Rugby Championship in 2012 the South Americans struggled to secure competition. In any given year Argentina would play home in June and away in November. This for a total of six tests. On some years, like 2009, the total was five. Two capped internationals in that year’s South American ‘A’ Championship brought Argentina’s total for the year to seven. Three of the 2009 tests were against England.
That year England played ten tests, all against Tier 1 opposition. The difference between England and Argentina was simple. England played five matches in the Six Nations.
Argentina’s entrance into the Rugby Championship did not happen based on diplomacy. South Africa was interested in Argentina but Australia and New Zealand were not. It took World Rugby recommendation to see Argentina enter but the truth is it was Rugby World Cup 2007 results not World Rugby which resulted in change.
Had Argentina not made it to the Semi Finals in 2007 then it is unlikely Los Pumas would have joined the Rugby Championship in 2012. It is really that simple.
Argentina has always played against South American opposition. It is unprecedented behavior from a Tier 1 union. Moreover the matches have, for the most part, been played outside of Argentina. Santiago and Montevideo have regularly hosted either Los Pumas or the Argentina XV. The Americas Rugby Championship has expanded on this idea.
Georgian Struggle
Georgia is interested in joining the Six Nations but has no way in. This is comparable to Argentina in the 2000-2010 decade. Despite defeating Wales in Cardiff in 2001, Scotland in Edinburgh in 2001 and 2005, France in Marseilles in 2004 and England in London in 2006 Argentina remained without a competition.
Today Georgia is defeating Tier 2 rivals with regularity. Both Canada and the USA lost at home last month to the Lelos. In 2016 Georgia defeated Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Georgia, though, has no means of playing regularly against equal or superior opponents.
Georgia needs games against higher ranked sides. Away matches against Argentina, Ireland and Scotland are a great improvement to that of the past. Ideally Georgia would play at home against these sides. A match against Italy is well overdue but the same is true of Los Pumas. Georgia has played twice now in Argentina. Los Pumas have never played in Tblisi. How about 2018, a Georgia vs Pumas test match in Tblisi?
