Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Argentina dominate Australia to win men's Cape Town SVNS

Argentina's Gaston Revol (R) celebrate after Argentina won the men's HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 final match between Australia and Argentina at the Cape Town stadium in Cape Town on December 10, 2023. (Photo by Rodger Bosch / AFP) (Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)

Argentina bounced back from losing in the final in Dubai last week to win the Cape Town SVNS, destroying Australia in the final.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was utter domination by Argentina from the word go, but Australia were not helped by captain Nick Malouf being yellow carded for a high tackle early on.

Even with an extra player, Australia were still looking dangerous, but a fumbled ball allowed German Schulz to pluck it out the air and sprint in for the opener. Australia failed to regather the kick-off straight after, as Santiago Mare snapped up the ball to run in for Argentina’s second as they started to build a lead. Marcos Moneta scored their third with Joaquin Pellandini adding the extras again to give them a 21-0 lead. Some world class offloading from Luciano Gonzalez on the left wing put Matias Osadczuk in for Argentina’s fourth, as they stopped at half-time with a 28-0 lead.

Video Spacer

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White takes aim at unruly fans at some Loftus Versfeld

Video Spacer

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White takes aim at unruly fans at some Loftus Versfeld

Tries from Nathan Lawson and Dietrich Roache gave Australia a glimmer of hope, but Argentina went up another gear in the latter stages of the second-half, scoring three more tries through Osadczuk again, Tomas Elizalde and Santiago Alvarez. Argentina finished with a huge 45-12 win, which was richly deserved.

“It’s really good. As I told you after the semi-finals, we are trying to demonstrate that last season and Dubai wasn’t a coincidence,” Marcos Moneta told reporters.

“Playing another final again has been great and now to win it is better so we’re really happy for the team and also for Santiago Mare, he’s a new guy that joined… never won a gold medal on the circuit.”

Argentina now go top of the SVNS standings.

Tickets are on sale now for the next SVNS Series event in Perth on January 26.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

Comments on RugbyPass

c
cw 6 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Thanks JW for clarifying your point and totally agree. The ABs are still trying to find their mojo” - that spark of power that binds and defines them. Man the Boks certainly found theirs in Wellington! But I think it cannot be far off for ABs - my comment about two coaches was a bit glib. The key point for me is that they need first a coach or coaches that can unlock that power and for me that starts at getting the set piece right and especially the scrum and second a coach that can simplify the game plans. I am fortified in this view by NBs comment that most of the ABs tries come from the scrum or lineout - this is the structured power game we have been seeing all year. But it cannot work while the scrum is backpeddling. That has to be fixed ASAP if Robertson is going to stick to this formula. I also think it is too late in the cycle to reverse course and revert to a game based on speed and continuity. The second is just as important - keep it simple! Complex movements that require 196 cm 144 kg props to run around like 95kg flankers is never going to work over a sustained period. The 2024 Blues showed what a powerful yet simple formula can do. The 2025 Blues, with Beauden at 10 tried to be more expansive / complicated - and struggled for most of the season.

I also think that the split bench needs to reflect the game they “want” to play not follow some rote formula. For example the ABs impact bench has the biggest front row in the World with two props 195cm / 140 kg plus. But that bulk cannot succeed without the right power based second row (7, 4, 5, 6). That bulk becomes a disadvantage if they don’t have a rock solid base behind them - as both Boks showed at Eden Park and the English in London. Fresh powerful legs need to come on with them - thats why we need a 6-2 bench. And teams with this split can have players focused only on 40 minutes max of super high intensity play. Hence Robertson needs to design his team to accord with these basic physics.



...

220 Go to comments
Close
ADVERTISEMENT