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Ce qu'il faut savoir sur le match Argentine - Samoa
Au coup d’envoi de ce match de vendredi à Saint-Étienne, 13 jours se seront écoulés depuis la dernière sortie de l’Argentine, une défaite 27-10 contre l’Angleterre à Marseille.
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Nul doute que le sélectionneur Michael Cheika aura pris les mesures pour corriger les failles béantes affichées par son équipe : la discipline et le jeu offensif. Face aux Samoa, les Pumas n’auront pas droit à l’erreur.
Cheika a effectué trois changements dans son XV de départ : Eduardo Bello titularisé en première ligne, Guido Petti en deuxième ligne et Matías Moroni au poste de centre.
De leur côté, les Samoans sont deuxièmes de la poule D après leur victoire 43-10 sur le Chili. Le sélectionneur Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua n’est pas dans la même problématique que son homologue argentin puisqu’il doit essentiellement gérer la fatigue de ses joueurs, qui n’auront eu que six jours de repos après leur premier match.
Il a également procédé à trois changements dans son XV de départ. Paul Alo-Emile est titularisé en première ligne, Brian Alainu’u’ese en deuxième ligne et Ben Lam au poste d’ailier.
HISTORIQUE
Le premier match entre l’Argentine et les Samoa remonte à 1991 au pays de Galles. Les deux équipes se sont rencontrées quatre fois au total, pour trois victoires samoanes, dont la dernière en date, en décembre 2005, sur le sol argentin (28-12).
MATCH MARQUANT
Lors de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 1999, l’Argentine s’est imposée 32-16 face aux Samoans au Stradey Park de Llanelli, là encore au pays de Galles. C’est peut-être difficile à imaginer aujourd’hui pour une équipe qui a participé à deux demi-finales et un quart de finale sur les quatre dernières Coupes du Monde, mais au moment d’affronter les Samoa en 1999, l’Argentine avait perdu neuf de ses dix premiers matchs dans la compétition.
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Cette nette victoire a marqué le début de l’essor des Pumas, à commencer par un quart de finale dans cette même édition.
POINT-CLÉ
Au repos lors de la deuxième journée, les Argentins ont eu le temps de ruminer leur entrée ratée face à l’Angleterre. Le match risque de se jouer sur les leçons qu’ils auront su tirer de cet échec. Malgré leur solide expérience de la Coupe du Monde, un certain nombre de joueurs sont passés à côté de leur match, bien aidés en ça par la performance stratosphérique de George Ford. Pour Cheika, il ne fait nul doute que les Pumas vont se reprendre et montrer un tout autre visage à Saint-Étienne. C’est une des clés de ce match.
LE DUEL
Juan Cruz Mallia face à Duncan Paia’aua. Mallia et Paia’aua sont deux des arrières les plus polyvalents du monde. L’Argentin a joué à tous les postes arrière depuis l’ouverture jusqu’à l’arrière pour le Stade Toulousain, tandis que son homologue a joué à 10, 12, 13 et 15 pour le RC Toulon.
Paia’aua est le seul joueur à avoir joué l’intégralité des cinq matchs disputés par les Samoa cette année. Il reste sur une série de trois matchs où il a inscrit un essai, après n’avoir aplati qu’une seule fois dans l’en-but adverse lors de ses quatre premières sélections.
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LA STAT INCROYABLE
S’il entre en jeu en cours de match, le très expérimenté talonneur Agustín Creevy rejoindra Felipe Contepomi et Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, qui ont tous deux disputé 17 matchs de Coupe du Monde avec les Pumas. Seul Mario Ledesma a fait mieux avec 18 sélections dans la compétition entre 1999 et 2011.
L’ARBITRE
Nic Berry (Australie). Ce sera la deuxième Coupe du Monde de Nic Berry en France. En 2007, alors qu’il était le demi de mêlée du Racing Métro, il s’était illustré dans la compétition… en tant que supporter.
LES ÉQUIPES
ARGENTINE : Juan Cruz Mallia ; Emiliano Boffelli, Matías Moroni, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras ; Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou ; Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya (capitaine), Eduardo Bello ; Guido Petti Pagadizabal, Matias Alemanno ; Pablo Matera, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez
Remplaçants : Agustín Creevy, Mayco Vivas, Francisco Gómez Kodela, Pedro Rubiolo, Rodrigo Bruni, Tomas Cubelli, Nicolas Sanchez, Lucio Cinti
SAMOA : Duncan Paia’aua ; Nigel Ah-Wong, Ulupano Junior Seuteni, Tumua Manu, Ben Lam ; Christian Leali’ifano, Jonathan Taumateine ; James Lay, Seilala Lam, Paul Alo-Emile ; Brian Alainu’u’ese, Chris Vui (capitaine) ; Theo McFarland, Fritz Lee, Steven Luatua
Remplaçants : Sama Malolo, Charlie Faumuina, Michael Alaalatoa, Taleni Junior Agaese Seu, Sa Jordan Taufua, Melani Matavao, Alai D’Angelo Leuila, Danny Toala
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s a shame that Baxter wasn’t nominated for DoR of the season. what he did is more impressive than McCall imo
1 Go to commentsSeveral boks said during World Cup they play so hard to give people back home hope. As an Englishman the Springboks Captain’s life story is an inspiration which should give us all hope and inspiration. Rather like that other great South African, Nelson Mandela
34 Go to commentsFox News, Tucker Carlson, Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan? Yikes.
1 Go to commentsThat is harsh though. Messi has/had a reputation for trying to keep his feet and keep dribbling for goal. Many of his brethren were the histrionic divers but not him.
2 Go to commentsMcReight is certainly one of the first picked. He’s going to be the glue, a Wallaby with some rugby IQ and the everywhere man for the Wallabies.
7 Go to commentsSophie De Goede is one of the best players we’ve ever produced. Kicked all the points, 2 try assists, line out takes, carries, tackles, charge downs… what a player
1 Go to commentsThe guy had just beasted himself in a scrum and the blood hadn't yet returned to his head when he was pushed into a team mate. He took his weight off his left foot precisely at the moment he was shoved and dropped to the floor when seemingly trying to avoid stepping on Hyron Andrews’ foot. I don't think he was trying to milk a penalty, I think he was knackered but still switched on enough to avoid planting 120kgs on the dorsum of his second row’s foot. To effectively “police” such incidents with a (noble) view to eradicating play acting in rugby, yet more video would need to be reviewed in real time, which is not in the interest of the game as a sporting spectacle. I would far rather see Farrell penalised for interfering with the refereeing of the game. Perhaps he was right to be frustrated, he was much closer to the action than the only camera angle I've seen, however his vocal objection to Rodd’s falling over doesn't legitimately fall into the captain's role as the mouthpiece of his team - he should have kept his frustration to himself, that's one of the pillars of rugby union. I appreciate that he was within his rights to communicate with the referee as captain but he didn't do this, he moaned and attempted to sway the decision by directing his complaint to the player rather than the ref. Rugby needs to look closely at the message it wants to send to young players and amateur grassroots rugby. The best way to do this would be to apply the laws as they are written and edit them where the written laws no longer apply. If this means deleting laws such as ‘the put in to the scrum must be straight”, so be it. Likewise, if it is no longer necessary to respect the referee’s decision without questioning it or pre-emptively attempting to sway it (including by diving or by shouting and gesticulating) then this behaviour should be embraced (and commercialised). Otherwise any reference to respecting the referee should be deleted from the laws. You have to start somewhere to maintain the values of rugby and the best place to start would be giving a penalty and a warning against the offending player, followed by a yellow card the next time. People like Farrell would rapidly learn to keep quiet and let their skills do the talking.
1 Go to commentsThe name “Kwagga” came to mind while I was reading this. And there’s another Sevens convert roaming the wide open kant at the Lions now - JC Pretorius. Keep an eye on him.
7 Go to comments2024 Rugby Championship: Sat, 10 Aug 2024 – Sat, 28 Sept 2024. Looking forward to watching the All Blacks coached by Scott Robertson, with or without the ‘dynamic’ qualities of Shannon Michael Frizell - see his display against South Africa at Go Media Mount Smart Stadium on July 15.
1 Go to commentsI agree about 8 being too many The English premiership has top four only Top 14 has six URC has 8 I think 6 would be fine It gives those other two teams an incentive But rewarding a team in perhaps 8th with three wins is atrocious If they get in they know they only need one big game
7 Go to commentsInteresting article. I think the answer lies in a comment Kwagga Smith made during the World Cup. Asked whether it bothers him that the Bok team doesn’t get more credit he said: “We don’t play for people to respect us: we play for each other and we play for South Africa.” The Springbok team is a brotherhood - an incredibly tight unit, most of whom are good friends off the pitch as well. Not only do they not want to let South Africa down, but they fight like crazy not to let their teammates down. Not saying they don’t care about their club teammates, but I think the bond shared in the Boks is just much, much deeper. Tough to forge the same sort of bond at a club over a handful of years. That must translate into superior performances for country over club.
34 Go to commentsThere is very little creativity in the 9-10 axis for SA. 10 needs to be solid, put the work in and kick the points. the SA counter is almost always via the edge or a kick through for a winger. When was the last offensive backline score from SA against a top team? Perhaps the ultra physical nature of the SA teams means players they get to hit more stats in those games. Maybe the SA pleyers are perfectly suited to the SA system. In other Words they are not club players gathered to play SA Internationals. They are SA International players adapting to play club.
34 Go to commentsJust what you want your prop doing 😂
2 Go to commentsEveryone needs to have a bit of ball player in them Nick and second phase but forwards and backs are still different coz of where you stick your head most of the time. Pocock and tizzano were 12s right up to the edge of seniors. Pocock was 12 to quades 10 then pocock was at the force At 17 year’s old or so. Hamish Stewart was apparently was a junior 7. Don’t know when he switched but apparently he was crons 10 in the Oz 20s. A mistake too often made is playing a guy like taquele nairavuro at wing instead of as a power 8. On rugby tours we often had a spare 7 playing crash 12 coz the regular 12 stayed home. Often had a spare 7 playing on a wing too.
7 Go to commentsyikes - what a load of crap Gallan. Interesting until after your 1st paragraph, but then again not worth anyone’s time responding to such pointless analysis and of course your dumbass opinions.
34 Go to commentsOutside of their national camp, club teams seem to take a tighter stance on doping. Think that explains it really.
34 Go to commentsThanks Nick Ive always thought that there should be a few more innovative attempts at players moving from backs to forwards and vice versa. Samu was one, as was Jim Williams last century. Cole certainly could run like a back, as can Lonergan from the Brumbies. I think that it’s going to become hard again for hookers though as front rowers seem to be getting bigger and bigger, and the guys have to look after their spines as well as (in Australia) their achilles! I always thought that Folau should have been tried in the lineout…. I think the same for Vunavalu…if he lasts any longer. Movement between positions is much more common in League, mainly because the size requirements between backs and forwards are not as pronounced. Hookers and halfbacks interchanging and second rowers and centres as well. The great Cameron Smith was effectively a hybrid hooker/halfback, being able to play both positions…sometimes it seemed simultaneously! For now, it seems like McReith and before him Hooper are the standouts, though Cale could be anything. John Eals did a few “back” type things mind you, including running and kicking. As for Jones, I don't credit him as anything (in an Australian context) other than a speaker of a million throw away lines, with the occasional one being picked up! Sorry
7 Go to commentsHe's Big in Japan
2 Go to comments“England are set to lose some of their best ever players at the end of the season with the mass departure to France”… Really? Best ever? What a joke of an opening line. The england players leaving for France are… Sinckler, Ludlum, Tuilagi… that’s the list of players England are losing at the end of this season to France. All 3 are fringe players at best these days. Manu is the only one you could fathom debating being one of “their best ever players” and even that debate would be shut down pretty quickly. Pathetic excuse for journalism this. Not grounded in reality.
3 Go to commentsYep. The insanity of the decision of trying to outspend RL for outside backs just looks more and more stupid as time goes on and talented players either bully us into paying overs to keep them (Jorgensen) or simply leave as Uncle Nick comes calling (Nawaqanitawase).
20 Go to comments