Rugby: Second belting not an option for Pumas

Sir Graham Henry. Photo / Getty Images

Bradley Manning wants to be a woman and Graham Henry probably feels like changing his identity too after the Pumas were belted in the start to the Rugby Championship.

After a challenging return to the Super 15 scene with the Blues, Henry left to begin his second year as a coaching adviser for Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

El Gaucho will be El Groucho after just one test. It was out of the frying pan and into the open fire as the Pumas were grilled at Soweto. They might have had a couple of blokes sent to the naughty chair but 73-13 is an absolute pasting.

They are back on their home pampas tomorrow in Mendoza, where a performance with more backbone is needed to help their image and restore people's faith in their tournament worth.

New teams and faces are always welcome in rugby but not at the expense of competition.

That one score has reduced much of the promise the Pumas achieved last season. They did not win a test but they drew with the Boks and their other matches were close until the All Blacks walloped them 54-15.

Their start last week was far worse when they conceded nine tries as a far from lethal Springbok side took them apart.

The Pumas were without their inspirational captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and he will be missing tonight as well, while Felipe Contepomi has been coerced to go around once more at the ripe old age of 36. Experience is a valued commodity in any area of life but that selection shows some of the thin resources available to Argentina.

Lobbe was one of the central figures for Argentina at the last World Cup as a strong driving loose forward with rare ball handling skills and a great capacity for work. Even in defeat his presence was strong.

An unco-operative leg injury has stalled his start this season. The Pumas held on for half an hour last week in Soweto before their indiscipline and the tide of Bok possession, sealed the outcome.

Another thumping is unlikely in the rematch.

Somehow the Pumas play better at home and they will be using the 16-all stalemate they had with the Boks last year in Mendoza, as a template for a turnaround tomorrow.

If there is another rout or a heavy defeat, tickets might be hard to budge for their next test against the All Blacks in Hamilton.