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Elisalex · 10-13-2007, 08:38 PM

Dear Luke or Matt, I hope that you are wrong in your predictions for tomorrow’s semi-final between Argentina and South Africa, we are supporting down here with all our hearts and minds our dear Pumas, and we are praying for a victory, they deserve it. They had struggled a lot to reach this instance and they and we will not give up now. I am aware that for Europeans, Australians, South Africans and others just the fact that our team had reached the semi-final is something not easy to accept. There is still a high degree of contempt towards our Pumas and Argentina amongst many of you, not your case indeed. But we shall overcame all those preconceptions arising from a total lack of knowledge of how rugby has been consistently growing every year in Argentina, a country where we have thousands of players now in some three hundreds clubs throughout our Southern Cone of America. As I said before rugby started almost a hundred and a half years ago, thanks to the Scots (Saint Andrew’s Scot School founded in 1852), the English community (St. Georges School) and the Irish new comers. But these seeds helped to propagate the passion for rugby amongst other people in this country. We are praying to Our Lord and Our Lady that they will give us as a chance of reaching the final, where we shall fact England. By the way, I congratulate the English team for their victory today in Paris. If we win tomorrow well be quite interesting to watch such final next weekend in Paris, where some 20 thousands Argentines travelled from here and from other countries to support our team. My forecast for tomorrow is a narrow but clear VICTORY FOR OUR PUMAS GOD BLESS THEM AND OUR LADY WILL PROTECT THEM. In spite of being extremely tired they will fight as the Spartans fought against Persia and they will prevail, at least this is my hope and what all of us here desire, will be fantastic for Argentine rugby and from now on, nobody will see our teams as “inferiors”, just because they are from South America. Last but not least, I know how well the Springboks play but we had defeated them in the past and I know how committed are Pichot, Contempomi, Hernandez and Corleto in this big challenge, they will play as gentlemen and will show the whole world that our rugby is one of the best, you can take it for granted. Thanks to everybody and to you especially my dear Scottish friend, what a wonderful country you have, this spring I will be in Edinburgh and other places for some weeks, I want to see some rugby games over there with my nephews and nieces who will travel with us and I am looking forward to see Paterson and the Lamont brothers in action. Pumas will win for 8 points, we shall wait and see or watch no?

Giza · 10-19-2007, 04:52 PM

I salute you on a great game of rugby, brilliant tries and your Bronze medal! It is my hope that the Tri-Nations tournament becomes a Four-Nations tournament with Los Pumas in the near future!

Springbok supporter

**Luke McAlistar** · 10-21-2007, 03:50 AM

Very nice tries from the Pumas on friday, sometimes the French seem incapable of getting out of their own way.

Elisalex · 10-21-2007, 06:09 PM

We are delighted with this result, much more that has been expected before, some of our Pumas will retire soon from rugby, like Agustin Pichot and others. I know Felipe is going back to Ireland for a match between his team and another one (I don't remember the name) and then he is coming back to the wedding of his youngest brother. Pumas will be here in Buenos Aires this evening, only Agustin Pichot, Juan M Hernandez and Felipe are staying in Paris, for the last ceremony of this cup, where they will choose who was the best player in the cup, not an easy task. But my feelings are that some of our Pumas will be the man. What I would like to see from now on is that we shall participate in other international competitions, might be from the three big rugby nations of the Southern Hemisphere, or with the European ones. They deserve the chance to be admitted in both exclusive clubs, would be a way to recognize Argentine rugby. Many thanks to everybody and to you Luke (your nom de guerre) and my South African friend, by the way wonderful this 20 years old Francois Steyn, Percy Montgomery what unique kicker, never failed or almost. But I like much more an open game like Pumas and Les Bleus did last Friday, but nobody will doubt about how successful was the South African way, they won the Cup and they deserve it. Thanks again to all of you

Elisalex · 10-21-2007, 09:59 PM

This has been written by a former Irish player and published in the Independent a Dublin’s newspaper and reproduced quoting the source at the “Buenos Aires Herald”. I just want to share with all of you what this gentleman said, which makes me extremely proud of our team The Pumas, here comes: By Saturday night, Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales were out of this tournament and South Africa won. Quelle catastrophe !! For the Brits, they must face not just the technical excellence and organisational skills of Argentina, elements good enough to see off hosts France in the opening match, but the crucial factors that have sent the Pumas soaring in this tournament. Passion and pride: a love for the traditional values of this game. Dismiss these, if you wish, but you would understand their importance if you had shared that hour with Pichot, the captain, talisman, guide and mentor of the whole Argentina squad. Agustin Pichot is one of the last great romantics of this sport. Now well into his 30s, he has imbued his charges with marvellous values that would enhance any man, any human being. Of course, his fourth World Cup will be his last. He says charmingly “We say in Argentina, let us die with our boots on our feet”. But those doing the dying last week include Scotland if they do not understand and make allowances for the special factors that drive the Pumas. Theirs is a sporting odyssey, an adventure to be enjoyed with fun at each turn. There are many reasons, which reveal the reasons why Argentina is being successful at this World Cup. Sure, they have a fine coach in Marcelo Loffreda, so respected he has been recruited by English club Leicester, and any number of outstanding players. But above all, they are playing with a smile on their faces; they are here to enjoy the experience, to have some fun. They are not weighed down with expectation, retreating into a siege mentality. They are open and friendly. And their spirited rugby is the epitome of such a philosophy. “We will be the last romantic team at a World Cup,” says Pichot. “Look at our ages, that proves it: 33, 34, 35, 36. For me, in my way of thinking, Argentina has broken all the rules. It has shown that a romantic team without any proper preparation, with only some part-time coaches playing only five international matches a year, can still be something on this stage.” We have just wanted to survive in the world of rugby. But we have shown that rugby is still that sport we once knew. However, we will never achieve that again.” Argentina had already done enough at the tournament to shame world rugby. Ostracised, ignored and offered only empty words or vague promises of future integration, they remain still outsiders, hungry bodies thrown only the occasional crumbs and told to remain silent. Their treatment by the game’s administrators and leading nations is a scandal that stains the name of rugby football. Nothing has been done. Why? Because five Chief Executives get in who have probably never played rugby. “And they look at the situation and say, ‘we will lose money if we allow Argentina in. Why should we cut another piece from the cake? We would lose a piece. No.” In part, Argentina’s pride has been fuelled by this continuing rejection. Thus, whilst they play for pleasure, to please their beloved nation, there are other factors at work, we know quite well which they are” By the way, I do not agree with the nomination of Brian Habana as the best player of the year, I am quite sure that Felipe Contempomi had played on a regular basis much better and his an extremely skilled rugby player, but again just because we are from Argentina, we are not worth to be nominated and to be accepted, is a shame and a disgrace.