Bouza and Pumas Part Ways

Pablo Bouza and Los Pumas part ways as the final pieces of the Daniel Hourcade empire are disappearing. Having been the man responsible for Argentina’s lineout the former Pumas second-rower is now no longer a part of the Mario Ledesma coaching team.

The week began with a major announcement – Pablo Matera has replaced Agustín Creevy as captain. It confirmed the official ending of what Hourcade had constructed. Creevy replaced Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe as captain in 2014, doing so with Juan Manuel Leguizamón having been caretaker captain for the November 2013 Internationals.

Ledesma took over Los Jaguares in October 2017. Following player rest in December his coaching regime began in January 2018. Within the opening weeks it became known that a change in leadership was on the horizon. Pablo Matera would be named captain with Creevy remaining in charge of Hourcade’s Pumas.

For Los Jaguares Matera would lead by example. Under his leadership Los Jaguares reached the play-off’s for the first time in Super Rugby history. Matera’s performances did not suffer as he was named in the Team of the Season.

Argentina’s appalling performances against Wales in the June Internationals saw Hourcade stepping down. He went out on a sour note yet with the Rugby Championship quickly approaching Ledesma made few changes. He looked to Europe with Juan Figallo (Saracens), Facundo Bosch (Agen), Gastón Cortés (Leicester Tigers), and Ramiro Herrera (Stade Français) all featuring in the Rugby Championship.

Changes to the leadership would not be immediate with Creevy retained as skipper for the Rugby Championship. With sufficient time now available before the November Internationals Ledesma has gone for Matera.

The switch sees a far younger player now in charge. Yet Matera was a starting Puma at the age of 19 and even played in the 2013 Rugby Championship under Santiago Phelan. The same man was Head Coach of Mario Ledesma at RWC 2011.

Of the coaching regime which replaced Hourcade only Pablo Bouza was retained. His dismissal marks a complete overall which has been complimented by the captaincy.

In the 2018 Rugby Championship Argentina’s lineout did not function as well as desired. The South Americans won 84.5% of their own ball.

Bouza departs after six years coaching in Argentina’s High Performance (PladAR). He was immediately a part of the Hourcade coaching regime as assistant coach while under Ledesma his task was specifically a the lineout assistant.

Prior to coaching Bouza was a Puma. He joined Ledesma at RWC 2003. In total he earned 27 caps from 1996-2007. At RWC 2003 he played against Namibia, and Romania scoring four tries.