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Argentina will pick players from Europe for the Rugby World Cup. Confirmation has come through from UAR President Carlos Araujo. In an interview with Después del Try Araujo said that they will be free to be selected.
Selection Policy
Since Rugby World Cup 2015 players based outside of Los Jaguares have been blocked from Los Pumas. The only means of being considered was to play in Argentina or to have permission. Tomás Cubelli was eligible due to playing for the Brumbies while Felipe Arregui and Juan Pablo Estelles had temporary permission to play in Scotland and England. No others were considered.
Selection will depend on the Head Coach. Last December Daniel Hourcade said that he would only select three players from Europe if he could. One was confirmed as being Juan Imhoff while Juan Figallo has since been confirmed as another. The third remains unknown.
Since then other have left Los Jaguares, notably Facundo Isa and Facundo Bosch. The former was Argentina’s 2016 Player of the Year and is currently badly missed. In his absence Hourcade has not settled on a starting No 8. Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Tomás Lezana, Benjamín Macome and Leonardo Senatore have all started in the Rugby Championship.
Araujo made it known that nothing will hold back the Head Coach from calling-up any player he chooses from Europe. The change of position comes at a time when Los Pumas are struggling to deliver results. Argentina is ranked 10th in the world and has not beaten a Tier 1 rival for over a year.
Immediate call-ups are not being considered. The stated time-frame is strictly Japan 2019. Los Jaguares will thereby continue to be Los Pumas for two further Rugby Championships.
Head Coach
Rumors and speculation have been plentiful this past week. Confirmation as to who is Argentina’s Head Coach will be made on Tuesday. An official announcement will be made confirming the coaching staff for both Los Pumas and Jaguares.
Americas Rugby News has learned than Los Jaguares will have a three-man coaching team. All coaches are former Pumas. Mario Ledesma will be the Head Coach, joining from Australia. His support staff are to be Martín Gaitán and Nicolás Fernández Miranda.
The trio represents a triangle in which the three-pieces work together. Gaitán is from the existing system, Fernández Miranda from outside and Ledesma brings with him international experience.
In terms of Los Pumas the UAR is under pressure to replace Hourcade. Araujo, though, backs El Huevo, doing so by using his wins over Australia (2014) and South Africa (2015 and 2016) to underline his value. He also says there are no coaches of his level in Argentina.
Suggestions that Saturday’s Argentina vs Australia match will be Hourcade’s last have been circulating. Araujo, though, stands behind his man. Regardless a much improved performance is mandatory from Hourcade’s team tomorrow.
