Preview: Argentina v Ireland
It’s another “funny” Test. In this case both teams could probably be labelled more properly A teams, but the match is down as a Test and the players playing will get caps.
But it’s hard to take a match seriously between these two countries when players such as Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy, Agustin Pichot and Juan Martin Hernandez, Paul O’Connell, Patricio Albacete, Mario Ledesma, Shane Horgan, Martin Gaitan, Denis Leamy and Rimas Alvarez-Kairelis, Marcus Horgan, John Hayes, Martin Scelzo and Rodrigo Roncero are all missing – amongst others.
Perhaps that is why the match is being tucked away in Santa Fe.
Santa Fe (Holy Faith) is 170 km north of Rosario, about 500 km north of Buenos Aires on the mighty Parana as it comes down from Brazil to join the River Plate.
It is a city that started in the 16th century, an agricultural centre of historic interest with a population of about 370,000. It is the capital of a province of the same name and a keen rugby centre though not of the same strength as Buenos Aires, Rosario, Mendoza, Cordoba, Tucuman and Mendoza.
The match will be played in Estadio Brigadier Estanislao Lopez, named after a 19th century soldier and provincial governor who fought for Argentinian freedom with General Belgrano, the man who gave Argentina its flag.
To be fair the teams may not be at full strength but there are still many outstanding players – Felipe Contepomi for one, the captain of the Pumas who has been playing for Leinster for several seasons.
He has been away from Argentina for some time now and may know the Irish players better than several of his Argentinian team-mates! He will lead the nine-man Anglo-Irish contingent who will carry the blue and white flag for those embroiled in French rugby’s tense fight to the finish.
For Ireland Jerry Flannery and Malcolm O’Kelly make their way back from injury. There are excellent half-backs in Paddy Wallace and Isaac Boss and quick, effective loose forwards.
Players to Watch:
For Argentina: Felipe Contepomi – such a star of a player with great vision, balance and ability to deceive. It will be so interesting to see if the Irish can contain him. Containing him would take Ireland a long way to winning the match.
For Ireland: Andrew Trimble, young and strong, is an interesting choice at centre. His performance could be significant, playing as he is for a country where centre play is the most effective in the world of rugby football. One will be interested, too, in the performance of Brian Carney, the convert from rugby league. Will he be better than some other show have come across to disappoint?
Head to Head: Loose trio against loose trio – Puma strength against Irish speed. The victors in that battle could well win the match and winning that battle could well depend on who wins the battle of the tight fives, fairly untried tight fives.
Prediction: It’s hard because there are so many little-knowns. But let’s stick a neck out and say the Pumas by ten points.
Previous Results:
2004: Ireland won 21-19 in Dublin
2003: Ireland won 16-15 in Adelaide
2002: Ireland won 16-7 in Dublin
2000: Argentina won 34-23 in Buenos Aires
1999: Argentina won 28-24 in Lens
1999: Ireland won 32-24 in Dublin
1990: Ireland won in Dublin
1973: Ireland won 21-8 in Dublin
1970: Argentina won 6-3 in Buenos Aires
1970: Argentina won 8-3 in Buenos Aires
1952: Ireland won 6-0 in Buenos Aires
1952: Draw 3-3 in Buenos Aires
The Teams:
Argentina: 15 Bernardo Stortoni, 14 Tomas De Vedia, 13 Miguel Avramovic, 12 Hernan Senillosa, 11 Francisco Leonelli, 10 Felipe Contepomi (captain), 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 6 Martin Durand, 5 Esteban Lozada, 4 Pablo Bouza, 3 Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, 2 Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 1 Marcos Ayerza
Replacements: 16 Matias Cortese, 17 Pablo Cardinalli, 18 James Stuart, 19 Genaro Fessia, 20 Lucio Lopez Fleming, 21 Juan Fernandez Miranda, 22 Horacio Agulla
Ireland: 15 Gavin Duffy, 14 Brian Carney, 13 Andrew Trimble, 12 Kieran Lewis, 11 Tommie Bowe, 10 Paddy Wallace, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Keith Gleeson, 6 Neil Best, 5 Malcolm O’Kelly, 4 Trevor Hogan, 3 Simon Best (captain), 2 Jerry Flannery, 1 Bryan Young.
Replacements: 16 Bernard Jackman, 17 Tony Buckley, 18 Mick O’Driscoll, 19 Stephen Ferris, 20 Tomas O’Leary, 21 Geordan Murphy, 22 Barry Murphy.
Date: Saturday 26 May 2007
Kick-off: 16:10 (19:10 GMT)
Venue: Estadio Brigadier Estanislao Lopez, Santa Fe
Execpected weather conditions: Clear with a high of 18?C, dropping to 8?C and a breeze from the northwest.
Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand), Phillip Bosch (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
