If the war cries of the Southern Hemisphere seem dim at the moment (with the exception of the South Africans), fear not. The new breed of rugby warrior has emerged. This potential Behemoth is a team with a remarkably familiar style of play – one which combines gallant showings of brute strength from the infantry (or forwards), with an unerring accuracy from the archers in the pivot positions.

That’s right, folks – all hail Los Pumas, Argentina, the premier surprise package of the Rugby World Cup. Let's not forget the brashness of Tonga, nor the sheer exhilaration of Fiji, but Argentina have brought a taste of Latino spice to 2007. They play with a fire not based around their culturally stereotypical flair, but rather a burning will to win by any means necessary.

And although they have been beaten in the semi-final, you can see the potent brew building amongst this team and its fans. In their home country – which is football mad to the brink of insanity – a high-profile football game was re-scheduled because it clashed with a cup game involving their rugby team. Such an act would have previously been unthinkable.

'The Argentinians were cast into the pool of death with the two most powerful northern unions of the last couple of years.'


The fire of the team is such that it has ignited the passion of its countrymen and to such a degree that there is real hope of Argentina becoming a world rugby stronghold. One built around a steely will and strength which only needs to be tempered by reducing the errors which cost them in the semi against the Springboks.

This is an ideal which has been the backbone to almost all the World Cup-winning campaigns to date, and most notably the last three – South Africa in 1995, Australia in 1999 and England in 2003. Each of these teams won tough. Although the Pumas have missed out this time, they have it within themselves to emulate such performances as those in the future.

There were no pretensions to prettiness during such marches to victory, just an iron will, with lots of tenacity and one guy with a bloody good boot keeping his team two steps ahead of the game. If the drop goal is on, you take it. If the penalties are anywhere in range, you take them. If they are not, then you rumble it up till they are. And you don’t miss.

These were some of the problems with Australia and New Zealand’s efforts in the quarter-finals. Australia missed their shots, and the All Blacks, surprisingly or not, lacked the composure at the end to drop it on to the boot and watch it sail between the uprights. These crucial mistakes were perhaps not helped by some laughable officiating.

However, the plain truth is neither side truly deserved to win. Perhaps their respective easy pool matches were partially to blame for such unconvincing finishes.

The Argentinians had no such luck (bad as it turned out to be). They were cast into the pool of death with the two most powerful northern unions of the last couple of years. Ireland and France were expected to battle for top billing, while the lowly Pumas were supposed to come in through the servants' entrance, warm up the crowds, then disappear quietly into the night.

The South Americans were all too aware of this scenario, and through a resolve that their football compatriots would have been proud of, set that fierce will to rewriting the script.

It matters not that the Argentinians have bowed out with such a high error rate in the semi-final – they’ve proven themselves worthy of a spot in either the Tri-Nations or Six Nation competitions. Los Pumas are only hindered by the lack of an international rugby season, so that all their scattered players can be gathered for a decent amount of time, and with no club holdouts. It’s just another reason for the IRB to get cracking and implement this plan for truly co-ordinated international rugby as soon as possible.

Yes, a new war cry is being heard in the international arena. Let’s hope it builds in momentum, and gives the opposition something to worry about in the years to come.

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Rugby League, Rugby League world cup, Sports News