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An outstanding performance from Benjamín Urdapilleta on Saturday sees the Argentine reinforcing his RWC selection hopes. The Argentine play-maker scored 21 points for Castres who were 36-17 winners at home against Perpignan.
Castres scored five tries with Urdapilleta converting four of them in addition to also landing a penalty. Yet it was not just his goal-kicking which impressed as he also scored two tries himself.
Urdapilleta was playing opposite former Irish test fly half Paddy Jackson. The 25-time capped Northern Irishman has 25 caps for Ireland, the last of which came against Japan in June 2017. By way of comparison the most recent of Urdapilleta’s 10 caps was against Georgia in June 2013.
Argentina are pooled in the most challenging of all groups at RWC 2019. For Los Pumas the Pool of Death will begin against France in Tokyo and also see game three in the Japanese capital. It is to be against England. Game two is to be a tricky fixture against Tonga in Osaka while game four is in Kumagaya against the USA.
In order to advance to the Quarter Finals Argentina will need to win three of these matches. The positioning of the Tonga fixture means a player other than the starter against France, and England will be required to potentially start against the Pacific Islanders.
The form and class of Urdapilleta places him as the front-runner for the role. This would ease the pressure on Nicolás Sánchez to focus on the Tier 1 opponents.
Sánchez departed Los Jaguares for Stade Français in December. This saw him joining Urdapilleta, and Patricio Fernández (Clermont) in the Top 14. It also left a vacancy at Los Jaguares but so far in 2019 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla has been unable to impress in the 10 shirt. This further reinforces the chances of the outstanding Urdapilleta’s RWC selection hopes.
Mario Ledesma’s recent trip to Europe involved a meeting between the Pumas coaching staff and Urdapilleta. With players not coming through in all positions for Jaguares it has been confirmed that players deemed to truly be superior to those at Los Jaguares will be selected from Europe.
