Winless Argentina endured a difficult finish to a challenging Rugby Championship with defeat at the hands of Australia, but coach Mario Ledesma has praised the character shown by his team at the end of an arduous tour.
The Pumas went into the game on the Gold Coast without six players who were sidelined for breaching pandemic protocols on an unsanctioned day trip to Byron Bay.
With injuries and fatigue taking their toll on a weary Argentina, who have not played a home Test in two years, a makeshift team went on to lose 32-17 to the Wallabies.
“They’ve played 12 months in a row,” said Ledesma.
“They finished their seasons in Europe, went to play the July internationals. Two weeks later, three weeks later we were playing South Africa after ten days of holidays.
“It’s not the best way to prepare. They need a little rest.”
There will be no let-up on the horizon for Ledesma’s team, however, with Tests lined up in Europe against France, Italy and Ireland in November.
Despite their difficulties, the Pumas finished the competition on something of a high as a pair of tries from Thomas Gallo gave the scoreboard a respectable sheen against a Wallabies side that held a 32-3 lead after less than an hour.
“I thought we had ten minutes in the second half when they scored easy tries, like really easy tries,” said Ledesma.
“And then there was a show of character too, after two months of a lot of effort and sacrifice, especially after a difficult week the boys showed character.
“Maybe the game was done but you still have to do it.”
Ledesma said it was impossible to assess how much the loss of the sextet, which included Santiago Medrano and Pablo Matera, had on his team as they sought their first win in this season’s Rugby Championship.
“It’s really difficult to calculate that,” he said. “How do you? It’s just intangible. There’s nothing concrete. There’s no data to know how much that weighed on the game or not.
“But I thought the guys who came from the bench, who were guys who didn’t play the whole tournament, they were pretty good.”
ozziedude
Roar Rookie
Need a rest from the RC.
Diego
Guest
Ledesma is a bad helado coach.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
They are screwed short term.
Cheika_Mate
Roar Rookie
I’d like to have a wager on that, the biggest untapped market on the planet, a new league oodles of money, it will be the new Japan in 3 to 5 years. And god if they get that w/c ….gees. Carlos where do you suggest the Argentinians develop there players.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
I’m really tired of the US nonsense. The level is poor and not conducive for good player development. It’s a joke.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Next year let’s have it all played in Argentina and see how the others cope with travel and being treated as irrelevant. They are a very good side who need encouragement not disrespect.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
They need rest from Ledesma.
Cheika_Mate
Roar Rookie
The Pumas really need that bottom layer competition like us. Not playing super dooper rugby now will slow down any growth and development. Their best play overseas and bringing all together is no mean feat. I hope something grows in the U.S and they are part of it. At times there a buggar of a side to watch but you cannot say they’re not passionate. If there’s one side in world rugby that should have a rest but applauded at the same time for keeping this great game on the screen in these difficult times it’s the Pumas. Gracious
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Maybe the Boks should.. End of year tours to Europe are ridiculous..SH Players are usually knackered by then.. There was talk of cancelling them even before Covid..maybe, hopefully the UK govt will do the Boks a big favour and keep em on the Red List.. Argentina especially...
Machpants
Roar Guru
Yeah I don’t blame them, a long time in bubbles. Can’t see SA coming off the red list any time soon. I should’ve put ‘like the boks might do’
biltong
Guest
Boks will only cancel if they are forced to go into another forced lockdown bubble. There are talks that South Africa would be taken of the red list, but it hasn't happened yet.
Machpants
Roar Guru
Maybe they'll cancel the tour, like boks are going to
biltong
Guest
I feel for the Pumas, after the year they have had, their exclusion from any SH provincial competition I would understand if they felt like the step child in SANZAAR. As Ledesma said, they love to play for their country, and if it takes them to play away from home to do that, they will continue to do that. Respect.