'Puppy' and 'Fluff' out to torment Wallabies
The Pumas, who have upset opponents with their attacking play and free-flowing skills, go into their semifinal against Australia with a coach known as 'Egg' and a star kicker called 'Puppy'. Wing Santiago Cordero goes under the cuddly name of 'Fluff'.
The Spanish language is famous for inventiveness in creating affectionate names, but Australia would be making a mistake if they took them at face value.
At an Argentinian press conference this week one player responded to a question by saying "ask Egg".
"Who's Egg?" said a puzzled Australian journalist before Pumas coach, Daniel Hourcade, stepped in to reveal his alias.
The nickname comes from his childhood when his brother Luis decided his head looks like an egg.
"Sometimes people call me by my real name and I do not realise they are talking to me," said Hourcade. "I am the Egg."
Wing Nicolas Sanchez is the second highest points-scorer in this World Cup with 74. One of the most senior players in the Argentina squad, he is known as "Puppy", but only because his older brother was 'Dog'.
Santiago Cordero is known as 'Corderito' because of his family name, which means lamb. He is also called 'Fluff'.
"I am called this because I have a lot of hair everywhere," Cordero joked.
Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe is known as 'Cork'. His mother gave him the name because he was a plump child.
The 'Rete' name for Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias is a play on the name for a baby's pacfier. "One of my first words was 'retete' to ask for a pacifier. Then it was shortened to Rete," the 87kg Gonzalez Iglesias told AFP.
And so the list goes on. Prop Juan Figallo is named after a children's cartoon dragon 'Chipi' because his rugby player father had that name. Tomas Lavanini is known as "Tongue" because he does not talk much.
Juan Martin Hernandez has acquired the name 'El Mago', or The Magician, because of his fantastic skills.
Only Juan Pablo Socino and Marcos Ayerza have more traditional rugby names. Flyhalf Socino is called 'Matmut' or Mammoth, because of his 110kg physique. Leicester front row Ayerza is 'Toro', or Bull, because he is good in the scrum.
Pablo Matera has the sobriquet, 'Loco', or Mad, but everyone insists it is meant in a nice way.
Agence France-Presse
