Argentina national rugby union team

National sports teamTemplate:SHORTDESC:National sports team

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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 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. Argentina officially joined The Rugby Championship on 23 November 2011. 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. 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.

## History

Main article: History of the Argentina national rugby union team
 File:Argentina equipo v britishlions 1910.jpg
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.

## Colours, symbol and name

 File:Argentina rugby vs lions 31july1927.jpg
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.

*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. 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.

 File:Jaguar head shot-edit2.jpg
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.

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).

 File:Pumas y granaderos en buenos aires 2023.jpg
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. 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. The away kit will be worn at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

### Kit suppliers

 1978–1998
 2012–present

## Home grounds

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File:Desfile militar sportiva.jpgFile:Argentina A vs Inglaterra A 02.JPG
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.

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. 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.

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.

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

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), Estadio del Bicentenario in San Juan –where the team played tests v England and Wales (2017–18), and Estanislao López in Santa Fe (2017).

## Records

### Overall

See also: List of Argentina national rugby union team test match results
Argentina have won 243 of their 486 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. 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 **6 August 2023**.
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### Rugby World Cup

Main article: Argentina at the Rugby World Cup
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### The Rugby Championship

Updated: 7 November 2022

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## Current squad

On 23 June, Michael Cheika named a 48-man squad for the 2023 Rugby Championship and in preparation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

**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 records (career)

### Most matches

 File:Agustin Creevy 2011.jpg

Last updated: South Africa vs Argentina, 29 July 2023. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

### Most tries

 File:Juan Imhoff 2015 RWC.jpg

Last updated: South Africa vs Argentina, 29 July 2023. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

### Most points

 File:Nicolas Sanchez 2015 RWC.jpg

Last updated: South Africa vs Argentina, 29 July 2023. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

### Most matches as captain

Last updated: South Africa vs Argentina, 29 July 2023. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

## Player records (match)

### Most points in a match

Last updated: South Africa vs Argentina, 29 July 2023. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

### Most tries in a match

Last updated: South Africa vs Argentina, 29 July 2023. Statistics include officially capped matches only.

## References

1. ↑ "Six Nations would be magnificent seven with us, pleads Pichot", *Western Mail*, 19 June 2006.
2. ↑ Deges, Frankie. "Argentina is now part of Rugby Championship". *Buenos Aires Herald*. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
3. ↑ "Wallabies defeated 21–17 by Argentina". *The Australian*. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
4. ↑ Argentina is now part of Rugby Championship by Frankie Deges, *The Buenos Aires Herald*, 23 November 2011
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "La pasión cumple 100 años", *La Nación*, 10 April 1999
6. ↑ "El pase del verano: Los Pumas dejan Adidas para vestirse con Nike", *El Cronista*, 27 November 2011
7. ↑ "Nike presenta su camiseta de Los Pumas", Prematch website
8. ↑ Davies, Sean (26 July 2007). "Puma power: Argentinian rugby". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2007.
9. ↑ Nuestra nueva identidad at UAR, 17 Apr 2023
10. ↑ El Regimiento de Granaderos a Caballo cumple 207 años on Argentina.gob.ar, 15 March 2019
11. ↑ Los Pumas jugarán el Mundial con una camiseta en homenaje a los Granaderos at Argentina.gob.ar, 29 Jun 2023
12. ↑ Los Pumas usarán una camiseta en honor a los Granaderos on 7enpunto.com, 2 Jul 2023
13. ↑ "ARGENTINA RUGBY JERSEYS - WORLD RUGBY MUSEUM". *www.rugbyrelics.com*. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
14. ↑ "Lions": Los viajes olvidados by Ricardo Sabanes, 16 May 2017
15. ↑ "El centenario del debut", *Clarín*, 13 June 2010
16. ↑ "Argentina at ground: GEBA", ESPN Scrum.com
17. ↑ "El club de rugby más antiguo de la Argentina" at Rugbytime.com Archived 12 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine, 19 September 2008
18. ↑ "Buenos Aires Cricket & Rugby Club" at Centro de Documentación, Investigación y Referencia Histórica-Deportiva, June 2009
19. ↑ "Adiós a un escenario de triunfos históricos", *Clarín*, 4 December 2005
20. ↑ Memoria y Balance 1970 on UAR
21. ↑ "El historial de los Pumas contra los grandes: los All Blacks, el único al que no le pudieron ganar", Cancha Llena, 8 August 2015
22. ↑ "El historial de Los Pumas ante Australia, la tercera potencia", Infobae, 18 October 2015
23. ↑ SPRINGBOKS THRASH ARGENTINA TO CLINCH RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN on Super Rugby, 11 Aug 2019
24. ↑ "ARGENTINA TESTS ANNOUNCED - JUNE 2018". 30 January 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
25. ↑ Ranking archives can be found at the IRB website; www.irb.com
26. ↑ Argentina statistics Archived 13 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine
27. ↑ "El plantel de los Pumas para la temporada 2023 - UAR" (in Spanish). 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
28. ↑ (in Spanish) UAR. Entrenadores de Los Pumas de todos los Tiempos Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Player profile on ESPN
30. ↑ Histórico: Todos Pumas on Olé, 14 Nov 2020

## External links

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* **No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.**
* Argentina | Rugby Database Profile
* Los Pumas at Planet Rugby (news about Argentine rugby)
* Rugby Fun (news, statistics and results)
* Los Pumas at Rugby Time (news, statistics and results)
* Los Pumas at El Rugbier (news, statistics and results)
* "Argentina's time in the sun", BBC Sport, 24 Jan 2001
* "Puma power: Argentinian rugby", BBC Sport, 24 Apr 2006

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