Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Mario Ledesma has been named as the new Head Coach of Argentina, effective immediately. The 45-year-old replaces Daniel Hourcade who stood down from the position in June following a dour run of results. His contract is until the end of 2021.
Ledesma takes on the position as the first of a kind. Unlike all prior Head Coaches of Argentina before him Ledesma has coached professionally both in Argentina and abroad as well as playing as a professional abroad and playing in four RWC tournaments.
This combination of work and playing history makes Ledesma an extremely accomplished candidate to take over a team which has struggled since RWC 2015.
Ledesma comes from humble beginnings. As a flanker he played for Curupaytí in Buenos Aires before converting to hooker. The change would be nothing short of amazing as Ledesma went on to become the most capped hooker in Pumas history.
From 1996-2011 Ledesma was a Puma. This period saw him playing 84 caps and included a phenomenal professional carer in France. He would play for Narbonne, Castres and Clermont, winning the Top 14 title with the Central French side in 2010. This came after playing in losing finals in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
The 2010-2011 season was his last in France. He turned 38 in the final months of the club season before focusing on one more RWC. When he left the field for the final time he would do so at Auckland’s Eden Park with the future captain, Agustin Creevy being his 69th minute replacement.
Following the RWC in New Zealand, Ledesma returned to France to begin his coaching career. He worked with Stade Français and Montpellier before moving to Australia in 2015 to initially work with the Waratahs before joining the Wallabies staff.
His above mentioned roles were as forwards coach. The outcome for Australia was a vastly improved scrum, as demonstrated at RWC 2015.
The following year saw professional rugby arrive in Argentina. Los Jaguares were born and entered Super Rugby in 2016. In 2016 and 2017 Raúl Pérez was Head Coach. The results were not as desired which saw Pérez stepping-down and Ledesma named as his replacement last November.
The change not only brought in greater credentials but, crucially, much changed professionalism. Ledesma’s prior playing and coaching experience produced a vastly different set-up and the players were able to produce superior results.
Under Ledesma Los Jaguares reached the play-off’s for the first time. The road to the Quarter Final in Johannesburg began with a four-match tour to Oceania. Ledesma’s team defeated the Rebels in Melbourne, Brumbies in Canberra, Blues in Auckland, and Chiefs in Hamilton.
Now the same players are to trade uniforms – Jaguares to Pumas. This is the same as that under Hourcade from 2016 to June 2018. What has changed now is Ledesma will be able to request players based in Europe for international duty.
At the press conference Ledesma would not name players but did point out the front-row. He is set to request to the UAR players to be considered with them joining those contracted as Jaguares.
The first match of the Ledesma regime will be on August 18. Los Pumas face South Africa in Durban in round one of the Rugby Championship. Ledesma’s and staff will now go about confirming the player roster to travel across the Atlantic Ocean.
Exactly who will be on Ledesma’s coaching team remains unconfirmed. Ledesma noted that it is not appropriate to name them as they are currently finalizing their contracts with the UAR. Widely expected to join Ledesma are Nicolás Fernández Miranda, and Martín Gaitán. Both have played for Argentina with Ledesma and coached with him.
