Argentina national rugby union team

The Argentina national rugby union team (Spanish: Selección de rugby de Argentina) represents Argentina in men's international rugby union; it is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union (Spanish: Unión Argentina de Rugby). Nicknamed the Pumas (Los Pumas in Spanish), they play in sky blue and white jerseys. They are ranked 7th in the world by World Rugby, making them the highest-ranked nation in the Americas.

Argentina

Nickname(s)

Los Pumas (The Pumas)

Emblem

Puma

Union

Argentine Rugby Union

Head coach

Michael Cheika

Captain

Julián Montoya

Most caps

Agustín Creevy (100)

Top scorer

Nicolás Sánchez (846)

Top try scorer

José María Núñez Piossek (30)

Home stadium

José Amalfitani

First colours

Second colours

World Rugby ranking

Current

6 (as of 28 August 2023)

Highest

3 (2008)

Lowest

12 (2014)

First international

Argentina 3–28 British Isles
(Buenos Aires, Argentina; 12 June 1910)

Biggest win

Argentina 152–0 Paraguay
(Mendoza, Argentina; 1 May 2002)

Biggest defeat

New Zealand 93–8 Argentina
(Wellington, New Zealand; 21 June 1997)

World Cup

Appearances

9 (First in 1987)

Best result

Third place (2007)

Tri Nations/Rugby Championship

Appearances

12

Best result

Runners-up (2020)

Website

uar.com.ar/los-pumas

Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British Isles team. Argentina has competed at every Rugby World Cup since the first tournament of 1987, and the country are considered the strongest team within the Americas, being undefeated against all but Canada, against whom they have suffered three losses.

The Pumas' impressive results since the 1999 World Cup have seen rugby's popularity in Argentina grow significantly. Argentina has achieved several upset victories, and are capable of regularly defeating Six Nations sides. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup Argentina were undefeated in their pool and reached the semi-finals for the first time; they were defeated by South Africa in the semi-finals, but followed up with a win over France to claim third place overall. By the end of the competition, the team had reached an all-time high of third in the World Rankings.

After their advances in competitiveness and performance during the 2000s, coupled with their location in the Southern Hemisphere, Argentina was the only tier 1 nation that had no regular competition.^[1] Argentina officially joined The Rugby Championship on 23 November 2011.^[2] In their first tournament in 2012, Argentina secured a 16–16 draw with The Springboks in only their second game.

The 2014 Rugby Championship saw the first Championship-match win for Argentina who defeated Australia 21–17.^[3] 2015 proved to be a successful year for Argentine rugby, including their first ever win over South Africa in the Rugby Championship, and they reached another semi-final at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In the 2016 Rugby Championship, the Pumas again defeated the Springboks. Although winless during the 2017 Rugby Championship, the Pumas achieved two wins in their 2018 campaign, defeating both South Africa and Australia. On 14 November 2020, the Pumas beat New Zealand 25–15 to record their first win over the All Blacks, and on August 27, 2022, they defeated the All Blacks for the first time in New Zealand. The wins against New Zealand meant that Los Pumas had finally won a match against every major Rugby union team.

History Edit

The first Argentina national team ever before playing the British Lions, 12 June 1910

The History of the Argentina national team starts with the first international played by an Argentine side against the British Isles in 1910 when they toured on South America. Argentina gained recognition in 1965, when the team toured South Africa playing a series of friendly matches there. In that tour the national team was nicknamed Los Pumas, a name that became an identity mark for Argentina, remaining to present days.

Argentina has taken part in all the Rugby World Cups since the first edition in 1987, their best performance being the third place achieved in 2007. Argentina followed their growing competitiveness in the Rugby Championship with a strong showing in the 2015 World Cup, reaching the semi-finals for the second time. The national side has also played in the Rugby Championship since the 2012 edition, after joining the competition one year before.^[4]

Colours, symbol and name Edit

The team that played the first test against the British Lions wearing the light blue and white jersey for the first time on 31 July 1927

Argentina alternated blue and white jerseys during its first international matches in 1910. In 1927 Mr. Abelardo Gutiérrez of Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires proposed that Argentina should play against the British Lions wearing a striped light blue and white jersey. That request was accepted and Argentina wore the striped uniform for the first time in its history.^[5]

Los Pumas play in a shirt in the country's flag (and sporting) colours of light blue and white, white shorts, and socks in light blue and white. In 2011, the UAR signed a deal with Nike which became the exclusive kit provider for all its national senior and youth teams, including Pampas XV.^[6] The first uniform designed by the American company left the traditional horizontal-striped jersey behind, featuring a single light blue with white shoulders jersey, although it was announced that Los Pumas would wear its traditional uniform again when they play the 2012 Rugby Championship.^[7]

The Jaguar, native to northeastern Argentina was chosen as the symbol of the team in 1941

In September 1941, Abelardo Gutiérrez (who had proposed the use of a white and blue jersey for the team 14 years prior) suggested a badge with the figure of a lion. The color of the crest was blue (due to Buenos Aires Cricket Club, where the first rugby match in Argentina had been played). The animal was later replaced by a native to Argentine species, so the jaguar was chosen due to his "agility and courage", according to their words.^[5]

The Pumas nickname is the result of an error made by Carl Kohler, a journalist for the then Die Transvaler newspaper in South Africa, while following the team during their first overseas tour ever – to Southern Africa (to Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and South Africa) in 1965. He tried to devise a catchy nickname for the team similar to existing international team nicknames such as All Blacks, Springboks, and Wallabies. He asked Isak van Heerden, the then coach of the Natal Rugby team who was asked by the SARB to assist with the tour, for ideas. They saw a picture of a type of lion with spots on the UAR crest. Kohler was aware that the Americas had jaguars and pumas, and as he was under pressure to submit his article, made a guess and called them the Pumas, instead of the actual jaguar. The mistake stuck, and was eventually adopted by the Argentines themselves (although the UAR crest continued to depict a jaguar).^[8]

Players of Los Pumas and a grenadier posing with the away uniform for the 2023 World Cup

In April 2023, the UAR launched its new visual identity that included a change of emblems not only of the body but of the national teams, from senior to 7s and youth representatives. The process included the removal of the characteristic spots from the jaguar figure, returning to the emblem used during the 1965 tour on Rhodesia and South Africa.^[9] That same year the UAR released the Pumas' away kit inspired by the uniform of the Mounted Grenadiers Regiment, the Argentine military unit and presidential honor guard established in 1812.^[10] The away kit will be worn at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.^[11]^[12]

Kit suppliers Edit

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
1963-1968	Noceto Sports^[13]	No shirt sponsor
1978–1998	Adidas	No shirt sponsor
1999–2000	Adidas	VISA
2000–2003	Topper
2004–2011	Adidas
2012–present	Nike

Home grounds Edit

Sociedad Sportiva Argentina (above) was the first venue for Argentina in 1910. José Amalfitani Stadium (bottom), one of the current venues when the team plays in Buenos Aires

The Pumas use a variety of stadiums when playing at home. One of the most frequently used for tests is José Amalfitani Stadium, home of Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield and sited in Buenos Aires. When Great Britain made their first tour to Argentina in 1910, the national team played them at Sociedad Sportiva Argentina of Palermo. That test was also notable for being the first Argentina match ever.^[14]^[15]

When the British combined returned to Argentina in 1927, the national side started to use GEBA and Buenos Aires Cricket Club as their home venues. GEBA was a frequent venue during the next decades, but hosted only three matches after the 1960s, as the Pumas started using larger stadiums; the Pumas' last match at GEBA was in 1993.^[16] On the other side, the Buenos Aires Cricket was also used for a large number of matches until 1948 when it was destroyed by fire.^[17]^[18]

In 1997 BACRC inaugurated the first purpose-built rugby union stadium in Argentina, erected in Los Polvorines, Greater Buenos Aires. A total of nine international games were played there by the national team until 2005 when it was sold.^[19]

Los Pumas played in Ferro Carril Oeste stadium between 1970 and 1986, when Argentina moved to Vélez Sarsfield Stadium.^[20] Some of the teams that visited those venues were Ireland, New Zealand, France, and Australia among others.^[21]^[22]

During the mid year tests in 2007, as well as Vélez Sársfield, Argentina played games at venues including Brigadier Estanislao López in Santa Fe, Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza, and Gigante de Arroyito, in Rosario. Argentina have also used the River Plate Stadium in the past, and in 2006 hosted Wales at Estadio Raúl Conti in Puerto Madryn.

Other venues that have hosted Argentina rugby team were José M. Minella in Mar del Plata (2008), Monumental José Fierro in Tucumán (2012, 2014), Mario Kempes in Córdoba (2012), Centenario in Resistencia (2014), Padre Martearena in Salta (venue for The Rugby Championship, 2016–2019 editions),^[23] Estadio del Bicentenario in San Juan –where the team played tests v England and Wales (2017–18),^[24] and Estanislao López in Santa Fe (2017).

Records Edit

Overall Edit

Argentina have won 244 of their 487 Test matches. When the world rankings were introduced by the IRB in October 2003, Argentina were ranked seventh. They fell to eighth in the rankings in June 2004, before rising back to seventh by November that year. They fell back to eighth in February 2005, and stayed there until falling to their lowest ranking of ninth in February 2006. Since then, Argentina rose to eighth in July 2006, then sixth in November of that year. They had a one-week fall to seventh, then one week later rose to fifth to start the World Cup 2007.

Los Pumas twice surpassed their highest ranking at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.^[25] Defeating number three France, the second opening game loss for a World Cup hosting nation, moved them into fourth place, their highest position since the IRB World Rankings were established. They lost to eventual champions South Africa in the semi-final but beat France yet again in the bronze medal round to set another highest ranking, third, behind South Africa and New Zealand.

Argentina has won every match against South American national teams, including 42 against Uruguay, 39 against Chile, 17 against Paraguay and 13 against Brazil.

On 14 November 2020, they registered their first win against New Zealand, meaning that they have recorded a victory over every Tier 1 nation.

Below is table of the representative rugby matches played by an Argentina national XV at test level up until 26 August 2023.^[26]

Top 20 as of 28 August 2023^[27]

Rank

Change*

Team

Points

1

Ireland

091.82

2

1

South Africa

091.08

3

1

France

089.22

4

2

New Zealand

089.06

5

Scotland

084.01

6

1

Argentina

080.86

7

2

Fiji

080.28

8

2

England

079.95

9

1

Australia

078.87

10

Wales

078.26

11

Georgia

076.23

12

Samoa

076.19

13

Italy

075.63

14

Japan

073.29

15

Tonga

070.29

16

Portugal

068.61

17

Uruguay

066.63

18

United States

066.22

19

Romania

064.56

20

Spain

064.05

* Change from the previous week

Argentina's historical rankings

See or edit source data.

Source: World Rugby^[27]
Graph updated to 28 August 2023

Opponent	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Win %	For	Aga	Diff
Australia	39	8	28	3	20.51%	699	1083	−384
Brazil	13	13	0	0	100%	1054	47	+1007
British & Irish Lions	7	0	6	1	0%	31	236	−205
Canada	8	6	2	0	75%	262	137	+125
Chile	39	39	0	0	100%	1627	237	+1390
England	25	5	19	1	20%	403	677	−274
England XV	1	0	0	1	0%	13	13	+0
Fiji	4	3	1	0	75.00%	130	96	+34
France	53	14	38	1	26.42%	838	1295	−457
Georgia	5	5	0	0	100.00%	186	66	+120
Ireland	19	6	13	0	31.58%	369	460	−91
Ireland XV	5	2	2	1	40.00%	25	36	−11
Italy	23	17	5	1	73.91%	594	399	+195
Japan	6	5	1	0	83.33%	259	159	+100
Junior Springboks	5	1	4	0	20%	26	166	−140
Namibia	3	3	0	0	100%	194	36	+158
New Zealand	36	2	33	1	5.56%	500	1390	−890
New Zealand XV	4	0	4	0	0%	30	80	−50
Oxford and Cambridge	8	2	5	1	25%	48	126	−78
Paraguay	17	17	0	0	100%	1382	65	+1317
Peru	1	1	0	0	100%	44	0	+44
Romania	9	9	0	0	100%	341	114	+227
Samoa	4	1	3	0	25%	82	111	−29
Scotland	22	11	11	0	50%	403	516	−113
Scotland XV	3	1	2	0	33.33%	34	21	+13
South Africa	36	3	32	1	8.33%	691	1239	−548
South Africa Gazelles	6	2	4	0	33.33%	60	71	−11
Spain	5	5	0	0	100%	211	78	+133
Tonga	2	2	0	0	100%	73	28	+45
United States	9	9	0	0	100%	294	136	+158
Uruguay	42	42	0	0	100%	1669	396	+1273
Venezuela	1	1	0	0	100%	147	7	+140
Wales	21	6	14	1	28.57%	458	556	−98
Wales XV	3	1	1	1	33.33%	37	34	+3
World XV	2	2	0	0	100%	64	42	+22
Zimbabwe	1	0	1	0	0%	12	17	−5
Total	487	244	229	14	50.1%	13290	10170	+3120

Rugby World Cup Edit

Rugby World Cup

Qualification

Year

Round

Pld

W

D

L

PF

PA

Squad

Pos

Pld

W

D

L

PF

PA

1987

Pool Stage

3

1

0

2

49

90

Squad

Invited

1991

Pool Stage

3

0

3

38

83

Squad

2nd

4

2

0

2

57

46

1995

Pool Stage

3

0

3

69

87

Squad

P/O

5

0

184

53

1999

Quarter-finals

5

3

0

2

137

122

Squad

1st

3

0

161

52

2003

Pool Stage

4

2

0

2

140

57

Squad

Automatically qualified

2007

Third Place

7

6

0

1

209

93

Squad

1st

2

0

86

13

2011

Quarter-finals

5

3

0

2

100

73

Squad

Automatically qualified

2015

Fourth Place

7

4

0

3

250

143

Squad

Automatically qualified

2019

Pool Stage

4

2

0

2

106

91

Squad

Automatically qualified

2023

Automatically qualified

Total

Third Place

41

21

0

20

1098

839

14

12

0

2

488

Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place	Home venue

The Rugby Championship Edit

All-time Tri Nations and The Rugby Championship record (2012-present)
Year	Position	Pld	W	D	L	PTS	PF	PA	PD
2012	4th	6	0	1	5	4	80	166	-86
2013	4th	6	0	0	6	2	88	224	-136
2014	4th	6	1	0	5	7	105	157	-52
2015	3rd	3	1	0	2	5	64	98	-23
2016	4th	6	1	0	5	5	129	216	-87
2017	4th	6	0	0	6	0	110	235	-125
2018	4th	6	2	0	4	8	151	198	-47
2019	4th	3	0	0	3	2	39	82	-43
2020	2nd	4	1	2	1	8	56	84	-28
2021	4th	6	0	0	6	0	60	195	-135
2022	4th	6	2	0	4	9	143	203	-60

Updated: 7 November 2022

Rugby Championship (since 2012)
Nation	Matches				Points			Bonus points	Table points	Titles won
Nation	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Bonus points	Table points	Titles won
New Zealand	57	48	2	7	1,979	1,059	+920	36	233	9
Australia	57	25	3	29	1,304	1,553	−249	13	126	1
South Africa	57	28	4	25	1,449	1,289	+160	26	146	1
Argentina	57	8	1	48	1,036	1,868	−832	12	46	0
Updated: 29 July 2023 Source: lassen.co.nz – TRC, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa Bonus points given by $T - 4W - 2D$ , for $T$ table points, $W$ games won and $D$ games drawn.

All-time Tri Nations and Rugby Championship Table (since 1996)
Nation	Matches				Points			Bonus points	Table points	Titles won
Nation	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Bonus points	Table points	Titles won
New Zealand	133	100	2	31	4,033	2,508	+1,525	71	476	20
Australia	133	55	6	72	2,895	3,370	–475	47	286	4
South Africa	129	56	5	68	2,929	3,120	–191	51	284	4
Argentina	61	9	3	49	1,092	1,952	–860	12	54	0
Updated: 29 July 2023 Bonus points given by $T - 4W - 2D$ , for $T$ table points, $W$ games won and $D$ games drawn.

Current squad Edit

On 7 August, Michael Cheika named a final 33-man squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and warm-up match against Spain on the 26th August.^[28]

Head coach: Michael Cheika

Caps and clubs updated to: 5 August 2023

Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player	Position	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Club/province
Agustin Creevy	Hooker	(1985-03-15) 15 March 1985 (age 38)	100	Sale Sharks
Julián Montoya (c)	Hooker	(1993-10-29) 29 October 1993 (age 29)	88	Leicester Tigers
Ignacio Ruiz	Hooker	(2001-01-03) 3 January 2001 (age 22)	5	London Irish
Eduardo Bello	Prop	(1995-11-27) 27 November 1995 (age 27)	12	Newcastle Falcons
Thomas Gallo	Prop	(1999-04-30) 30 April 1999 (age 24)	16	Benetton
Francisco Gómez Kodela	Prop	(1985-07-07) 7 July 1985 (age 38)	30	Lyon
Joel Sclavi	Prop	(1994-06-25) 25 June 1994 (age 29)	10	La Rochelle
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro	Prop	(1989-03-11) 11 March 1989 (age 34)	78	Benetton
Matías Alemanno	Lock	(1991-12-05) 5 December 1991 (age 31)	86	Gloucester
Marcos Kremer	Lock	(1997-07-30) 30 July 1997 (age 26)	56	Clermont
Tomás Lavanini	Lock	(1993-01-22) 22 January 1993 (age 30)	81	Clermont
Guido Petti	Lock	(1994-09-17) 17 September 1994 (age 28)	73	Bordeaux Bègles
Rodrigo Bruni	Back row	(1993-09-03) 3 September 1993 (age 29)	20	Bayonne
Facundo Isa	Back row	(1993-09-21) 21 September 1993 (age 29)	45	Toulon
Juan Martín González	Back row	(2000-11-14) 14 November 2000 (age 22)	23	Saracens
Santiago Grondona	Back row	(1998-07-25) 25 July 1998 (age 25)	13	Bristol Bears
Pablo Matera	Back row	(1993-07-18) 18 July 1993 (age 30)	94	Mie Honda Heat
Pedro Rubiolo	Back row	(2002-12-12) 12 December 2002 (age 20)	3	Newcastle Falcons
Lautaro Bazán	Scrum-half	(1996-02-24) 24 February 1996 (age 27)	5	Rovigo Delta
Gonzalo Bertranou	Scrum-half	(1993-12-31) 31 December 1993 (age 29)	52	Dragons
Tomás Cubelli	Scrum-half	(1989-06-12) 12 June 1989 (age 34)	88	Biarritz
Santiago Carreras	Fly-half	(1998-03-30) 30 March 1998 (age 25)	34	Gloucester
Nicolás Sánchez	Fly-half	(1988-08-26) 26 August 1988 (age 35)	97	Stade Français
Santiago Chocobares	Centre	(1999-03-31) 31 March 1999 (age 24)	12	Toulouse
Lucio Cinti	Centre	(2000-02-23) 23 February 2000 (age 23)	15	Saracens
Jeronimo de la Fuente	Centre	(1991-02-24) 24 February 1991 (age 32)	75	Perpignan
Matías Moroni	Centre	(1991-03-29) 29 March 1991 (age 32)	72	Newcastle Falcons
Emiliano Boffelli	Wing	(1995-01-16) 16 January 1995 (age 28)	52	Edinburgh
Mateo Carreras	Wing	(1999-12-17) 17 December 1999 (age 23)	10	Newcastle Falcons
Juan Imhoff	Wing	(1988-05-11) 11 May 1988 (age 35)	42	Racing 92
Rodrigo Isgro	Wing	(1999-03-24) 24 March 1999 (age 24)	1	Argentina Sevens
Martín Bogado	Fullback	(1998-04-29) 29 April 1998 (age 25)	0	Highlanders
Juan Cruz Mallia	Fullback	(1996-09-11) 11 September 1996 (age 26)	25	Toulouse

Coaches Edit

Coaches:^[29]

Years	Coach
1932	Edmundo Stanfield
1936	Luis Cilley, Carlos Huntley-Robertson, Edmundo Stanfield
1954	Juan C. Wells
1956	Dermot Cavanagh, Horacio Savino
1959	Jorge Merelle
1960	Robert Galarga
1960	Saturnino Racimo
1965	Izak Van Heerden
1965–1973	Ángel Guastella
1974	Carlos Villegas
1975	Eduardo Poggi
1976–1977	Carlos Villegas
1978	Ángel Guastella
1978–1980	Aitor Otaño
1980–1983	Rodolfo O'Reilly
1983–1987	Héctor Silva
1987–1990	Rodolfo O'Reilly
1990–1993	Luis Gradín
1993–1994	Héctor Méndez
1994–1995	Alejandro Petra
1995	Alex Wyllie, Héctor Méndez
1995–1999	Alex Wyllie
1999–2007	Marcelo Loffreda
2007–2013	Santiago Phelan
2013–2018	Daniel Hourcade
2018–2022	Mario Ledesma
2022 – present	Michael Cheika