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Ignacio Mendy is a Puma in waiting. The winger / fullback is having a red-hot season for Benetton. Mendy scored a double on Saturday for the Italians against Irish powerhouses Leinster. His performance was the latest instance of a player putting up his hand for new Pumas Head Coach Felipe Contepomi.
For his first try, Mendy received the ball 27 meters out from the opposition try zone. He had plenty of work to do as there were two defenders marking him. Mendy accelerated and stepped to get past both and score.
His second try was a regulation score. Mendy was unmarked meters from the opposition try zone. He ran around to simplify the conversion. The match was poised at 21-18 to the Irish province. The second half was different, though, as Leinster scored all the points to win 47-18.
The 23-year-old made his test debut for Argentina in 2021. He started on the wing for Los Pumas against South Africa in Port Elizabeth. The appearance is presently his only test cap. Mendy comes from Los Tilos club in La Plata. He is a second generation Puma. His father, Christian Mendy, played for Argentina in the 1980’s. He famously scored the match-winner against Australia in 1987.
Ignacio Mendy is on top of his game this season in the United Rugby Championship (URC) with five tries thus far. He is a regular starter for Benetton. He and Clermont’s Bautista Delguy are putting Argentina’s wingers from Rugby World Cup 2023 under pressure for July selection against France.
