VIDEO: Pumas target Bok pack
REACTION: Argentina is planning to cut off South Africa’s supply of quality possession at source.
Argentina coach Mario Ledesma believes the only way to stop “the most physical side in the world” is by dominating their forwards.
Los Pumas will look for revenge in the return match in Mendoza – Round Two of the Rugby Championship – after they lost 21-34 in the season opener in Durban this past weekend.
The newly-appointed Pumas coach, Ledesma, bemoaned his side’s inability to handle the Springbok physicality in the opening match.
However, he feels they can turn it around in Mendoza this coming Saturday if they can deny the Boks the same dominance up front.
“I think obviously they had the momentum and they had much more quality ball than we had from set pieces,” he admitted.
“But it is difficult against a physical side like South Africa to keep stopping them and keep defending, and not having quality ball.
“Even being in that position – [where] we were 21-27 behind with 20 minutes to go – we could have won the game.
“But we kept losing ball from line-outs and in the rucks and we knew they were targeting us on those two things.”
Ledesma said the Springboks injected pace in the second half and that made the difference.
“At the start of the second half, they started playing quick penalties, started kicking to touch and there was a purpose in everything they were doing.
“They kept playing direct, physical footy and it is like a dam, and if you keep hammering, hammering, hammering, then all of a sudden the water bursts.
“They are one of the best teams in the world, and they are the most physical team in the world by far, so we knew what was coming, we knew they were targeting us in the rucks.
“They were world class on the ball, and we knew what was coming, but we could not handle what was coming at us.”
He believes that his team showed that they can turn it around.
“As the Saxons say: ‘A week is a long time’.
“And we’re definitely gonna work on our set-piece and our rucks.'”
@rugby365com
