Can Argentina replicate 2007 World Cup upset to topple France again?
It’s been 12 years since Argentina turned the rugby world on its head to upset France 17-12 in their own backyard in the 2007 World Cup opener.
Heavily tipped to bag a victory in the opening match of their own World Cup, Les Bleus were trounced by the Pumas in a riveting display to dish the hosts their first-ever defeat in the pool stages.
It was a victory which catapulted Argentina’s status within World Rugby to that of a tier one side, as they went on to make a maiden semi-final appearance and beat France again to finish the tournament in third place.
The landmark result was the catalyst for Argentina’s ascent to the upper echelons of test rugby, and a second semi-final outing four years ago further enhanced their standing within the global game.
The @wallabies have set themselves the target of winning this year's @rugbyworldcup, but @fijirugby will have a big say about that in their opening clash in Sapporo on Saturday. #RWC2019 https://t.co/DiNnB28ihO
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 20, 2019
Now, the Pumas have a chance to replicate that success on Saturday as they again meet France in their opening pool game of the 2019 World Cup in Tokyo.
A quick look through the odds placed on this match by various betting agencies suggests that France are favourites to claim victory this time round, as was the case in 2007, although by a significantly lesser margin.
Another look through the form book validates why Les Bleus are considered favourites, as a string of strong warm-up results – two big wins and a tight loss – has put Jacques Brunel’s side in good stead for Pool C, which is being dubbed as the ‘Pool of Death’.
Following Argentina, they will take on England, Tonga and the USA, and with only two quarter-final spots up for grabs, one of the three tier one sides in the group is going to miss out.
Continue reading below…
That means the ramifications of this encounter will be massive, and so while they were upset at the Stade de France after being brandished as favourites 12 years ago, going into this clash with the perceived upper hand should be comforting for the French.
By comparison, Argentina haven’t won a test in over a year, with their last success on the international stage coming against the Wallabies on the Gold Coast on September 15 last year.
In fact, Mario Ledesma’s squad have claimed just seven scalps from 40 outings in the test arena since the last World Cup.
That alone makes them an outside chance to qualify out of Pool C ahead of England and France, but, as reflected by the team they have named for tomorrow’s match, they have anticipated the threat that Les Bleus pose on their knockout stage hopes.
13 of Argentina’s starting XV play for the Jaguares, who finished runners-up in this year’s Super Rugby.
The only two who don’t play for the franchise are flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez of Stade Francais and Montpellier prop Juan Figallo.
It means the forward pack consists of a variety of burly forwards, including star men Agustin Creevy, Guido Petti and Pablo Matera, while out wide, the back three trio of Ramiro Moyano, Matias Moroni and Emiliano Boffelli will be a handful for their opposites.
As for France, skipper Guilhem Guirado returns to the starting XV after being benched for his side’s 47-19 thrashing of Italy three weeks ago.
He’s accompanied by a raft of new names, but the additions of a new-look midfield consisting of Virimi Vakatawa and Gael Fickou, playing alongside each other in the No. 12 and No. 13 jerseys for the first time, is one of particular interest.
Both players are threatening in contrasting ways, but having that element of balance in the midfield should work well, especially when coming up against the defensively astute Jeronimo de la Fuente and Matias Orlando.
Veteran No. 8 Louis Picamoles will bring valuable experience from the bench, and the presence of Maxime Medard at fullback will help offset the inexperience on offer in the middle of the park.
All in all, Brunel has put together a formidable side capable of asking tough questions of whoever they come up against, and Argentina is no exception.
However, if the Pumas need any extra motivation to pull off what would be a minor upset in their vital first-up World Cup clash, the exploits of the playing group from 2007 shouldn’t too far from the minds of the current crop of players when they take the field at Ajinomoto Stadium.
Recent Form:
France:
W 47-19 vs Italy at Stade de France, Paris (30/8)
L 14-17 vs Scotland at Murrayfield, Edinburgh (24/8)
W 32-3 vs Scotland at Stade de France, Paris (17/8)
W 25-14 vs Italy at Stadio Olimpico, Rome (16/3)
L 14-26 vs Ireland at Aviva Stadium, Dublin (10/3)
Argentina:
L 18-24 vs South Africa at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (17/8)
L 13-46 vs South Africa at Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta (10/8)
L 10-16 vs Argentina at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (27/7)
L 16-20 vs New Zealand at Estadio Jose Amalfitani, Buenos Aires (20/7)
L 9-14 vs Scotland at Murrayfield, Edinburgh (24/11/2018)
Last Five Head-To-Head Results:
France 28-13 Argentina at Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille (2018)
France 27-0 Argentina at Estadio Jose Ferrio, Tucuman (2016)
France 19-30 Argentina at Estadio Jose Ferrio, Tucuman (2016)
France 13-18 Argentina at Stade de France, Paris (2014)
France 39-22 Argentina at Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille (2012)
Playing Record:
France wins: 36
Argentina wins: 14
Draw(s): 1
France:
1. Jefferson Poirot, 2. Guilhem Guirado, 3. Rabah Slimani, 4. Arthur Iturria, 5. Sebastian Vahaamahina, 6. Wenceslas Lauret, 7. Charles Ollivon, 8. Gregory Alldritt, 9. Antoine Dupont, 10. Romain Ntamack, 11. Yoann Huget, 12. Virimi Vakatawa, 13. Gael Fickou, 14. Damian Penaud, 15. Maxime Medard.
Reserves: 16. Camille Chat, 17. Cyril Baille, 18. Demba Bamba, 19. Bernard Le Roux, 20. Louis Picamoles, 21. Maxime Machenaud, 22. Camille Lopez, 23. Thomas Ramos.
Argentina:
1. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2. Agustin Creevy, 3. Juan Figallo, 4. Guido Petti, 5. Tomas Lavanini, 6. Pablo Matera, 7. Marcos Kremer, 8. Javier Ortega Desio, 9. Tomas Cubelli, 10. Nicolas Sanchez, 11. Ramiro Moyano, 12. Jeronimo de la Fuente, 13. Matias Orlando, 14. Matias Moroni, 15. Emiliano Boffelli.
Reserves: 16. Julian Montoya, 17. Mayco Vivas, 18. Santiago Medrano, 19. Matias Alemanno, 20. Tomas Lezana, 21. Felipe Ezcurra, 22. Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23. Santiago Carreras.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments