RWC: Attack skills see Pumas stealthily climb ranks

Photo / NZH

Leading sports stories in the Buenos Aires Herald bypass the Pumas' deeds at the Rugby World Cup.

Headlines are about Lamar Odom's meltdown, Oscar Pistorius' jail term, Fifa bans for Blatter and Platini, Lionel Messi cleared of tax charges, Barcelona's Mascherano charged with tax fraud and an injury to Messi.

Football is the big gig in Argentina while rugby has battled to gain sustained prominence.

The Pumas made a pitch at the 2007 World Cup when they reached the semifinals while their four year foray into the Rugby Championship and sortie into next year's Super Rugby series will enhance that profile.

Their surge past Ireland into this year's semifinals alongside the other southern hemisphere big guns, pumps up the promise even more especially as the bulk of the Pumas will also contest Super Rugby.

Much of their resounding impressive play to beat Ireland has been lost in the commotion surrounding Scotland's late loss to the Wallabies.

Last-minute decisions tend to pour scorn on a referee from one discontented team.

No mention about any decisions from referee Craig Joubert earlier in the game which favoured Scotland; were Peter Horne, Tommy Seymour and Adam Bennett on side when they scored?

Calls for the TMO to intervene were simply outside his or Joubert's remit and matches have slowed with excessive involvement for issues of foul play or any uncertainty during a try-scoring move.

The Wallabies had one try disallowed when replays showed Will Genia fumbled at the base of a ruck during a move which led to the try.

None of that acrimonious fallout occurred during the Pumas 43-20 victory against Ireland. Argentina showed the full range of power and grace which makes them such a formidable opponent.

They've changed their approach in the last few years with some of the push coming from Graham Henry in his consulting role to embrace a wider attacking philosophy.

"We had a great defence, one of the best in the world, but we didn't attack much, and he said it was impossible to win games like that. So he tried to change our minds - he did it," halfback Martin Landajo recalls.

Coach Daniel Hourcade has carried that philosophy forward while the Pumas' involvement in the Rugby Championship has primed them for that style.

After the Pumas lost their opening World Cup test 26-16 to the All Blacks, they eased past Georgia, Tonga and Namibia. They were away from the spotlight because of those average pool matches and the language barriers.

Then they were pitched into combat with an Irish side depleted by injury and suspension and bounded into the semifinals for the second time in tournament history after burning their rivals through the goal-kicking mastery of Nicholas Sanchez and the diversity on attack.

A few discipline issues appeared when their Latino temperament rose rapidly but for most of the high-stakes match they were in control.