The Mandela Tribute Test against South Africa in Johannesburg on August 9 will be important in Argentina’s push to join the Tri-Nations, Pumas coach Santiago Phelan said on Thursday.
Phelan’s 26-man squad includes nine players who featured in the World Cup semifinal loss to the Springboks in Paris last October and is the best available following the retirement of several key Pumas and injury to others including flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez.
Forwards Gonzalo Longo, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Omar Hasan are among those who have quit international rugby while wing José Núñez Piossek is back after he had to withdraw from the World Cup squad at the last minute because of injury.
”This game is very important not only because we hope to be involved in the Tri-Nations in the future, but because each time we play South Africa it is very important,” Phelan told a news conference.
”We are looking forward to playing more Tests in the year and this is a very good opportunity for us. If you play against the best, it will make you improve and that is the reason we came here for this very exciting and important game.
”We have brought the best players we have, some of them have recently finished their seasons in Europe, and we have a lot of expectations. We expect a good game.”
However, Argentina’s chances of a first victory over South Africa are slim given that the world champions are currently involved at the top of international rugby in Tri-Nations matches against New Zealand and Australia.
Argentina, who have only played three Test matches in the nine months since the World Cup, have had mixed results at home against Scotland and Italy.
Hooker Mario Ledesma, the Pumas vice-captain, said he hoped the team would be able to move forward from their third-place finish in the World Cup.
”The perception of Argentine rugby maybe grew a bit after we finished third at the World Cup and now we are trying to construct a team and we will try to give the Springboks a hard fight,” said Ledesma.
Ledesma said he was disappointed his Clermont teammate John Smit, South Africa’s World Cup captain, was injured and would miss the match, which is part of the 90th birthday celebrations of former South African president Nelson Mandela.
Argentina are still to beat the Springboks after 12 meetings, although the result of their last match in South Africa hung in the balance until the hosts scraped home 26-25 at the death in Port Elizabeth in 2003. – Reuters