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Agustín Creevy will hang up his boots. The Argentine hooker will play for Los Pumas for the final time on Saturday, August 31. He will earn his 110th cap for Argentina and do so in his home town in La Plata at the age of 39.
The end of Creevy’s career is almost two decades after it began. Creevy’s final time entering the field to sing sean eternos los laureles in a test match is in an entirely different playing position to where it all began. Creevy debuted as a flanker and converted to hooker in 2009.
By way of comparison, the most capped rugby player of all-time is Alun Wyn Jones. The former Welsh captain retired in 2023 with a world record 170 caps. He played 158 test matches for Wales and 12 for the British & Irish Lions from 2016-2023. He debuted against Argentina in Puerto Madryn in June 2006.
Alun Wyn Jones debuted for Wales over a full year after Agustín Creevy debuted for Argentina. Creevy made his test debut for Los Pumas against Japan in April 2005. He earned his 100th cap in 2023 against South Africa. This made his the first Puma to reach the milestone of 100 test caps.
Creevy represented Argentina in Rugby World Cups 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. He is a two-time Semi Finalists having played in the 2015 and 2023 Semi Finals. His longevity saw him set a new Argentine record for matches played in Rugby World Cups.
His cap against Japan in Nantes was his 19th. This saw him overtaking Mario Ledesma’s former record of 18 World Cup caps for Argentina. Creevy set a new mark of 22 caps as he also played in the Quarter Final against Wales, Semi Final against New Zealand and Bronze Final against England.
When Creevy comes on to face Australia at the Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi in La Plata he will earn his 100th cap. This is the Argentine record for test caps. He also holds two other Pumas records. First, the aforementioned 22 caps in World Cups. Second, Creevy captained Los Pumas in a record 51 test matches.
Creevy captained Los Pumas to their first-ever victory over the Springboks. Argentina’s 37-25 win was more than historic; it celebrated the 50th anniversary of their inaugural tour to South Africa. Moreover, the win was away; Argentina won in Durban.
The 2015 win over South Africa followed important results in 2014. Creevy skippered Los Pumas to their first victory in a Rugby Championship match. Argentina defeated Australia 21-17 in Mendoza in October, 2014. Then in November, Argentina were 18-13 winners over France in Paris.
Under the captaincy of Creevy at Rugby World Cup 2015, Los Pumas recovered from a 26-16 loss against New Zealand to advance to the play-off’s. Los Pumas were 54-9 winners over Georgia in Gloucester, 45-16 winners over Tonga in Leicester and 64-19 winners over Namibia in Leicester. Argentina then defeated Ireland 43-20 in Cardiff to book a Semi Final.
