Ex-Wallaby labels ‘Win Pumas’ international rugby’s ‘most improved’

Former Wallaby Adam Ashley-Cooper has playfully nicknamed Argentina the “Win Pumas” after their remarkable run of performances in 2024. Traditionally known as Los Pumas, the Argentine side turned heads this year and have been praised for their history-making efforts.

World Rugby’s rankings have Argentina placed as the fifth-best team in the men’s game behind South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, and France. Los Pumas sat in seventh place 12 months ago, just ahead of Warren Gatland’s Wales, after finishing fourth at the Rugby World Cup in France.

Head coach Felipe Contepomi led the way as Argentina started the new World Cup cycle with two wins from three Tests during the July international window, but things would go from good to great for the team during The Rugby Championship across August and September.

Argentina started that tournament with a shock 38-30 win over New Zealand in Wellington, which was only their second win away to the All Blacks. They also handed Australia a record 67-27 loss in Santa Fa before upsetting the world champion Springboks 29-28.

That was the first time Argentina had been their three TRC rivals in a single tournament. They were still a chance of snatching the title before visiting South Africa in the final round, but the Springboks showed their class during a comprehensive 41-point win at Mbombela Stadium.

Los Pumas only won one of their next three Tests during the November internationals but it was still a positive block for the team. After recording an emphatic 50-18 win away to Italy, Argentina fell to world no. 2 Ireland by only three points before showing some fight against France in Paris.

“They weren’t necessarily the ‘loss’ Pumas they were the ‘Win Pumas’. Probably the most improved team globally,” Ashley-Cooper said on Kick Offs and Kick Ons.

“They make it just a genuine scrap and it’s good to see because you see so much structured footy these days, whether it’s [defence} or these pods off the sideline or whatever it is, it just looked very structured.

“They just play with freedom… they’re not necessarily the biggest team as well, they just play with such power.”

Argentina’s famous run during TRC was a big talking point after that tournament, but it couldn’t overshadow the efforts from South Africa who looked like an even better side after winning their second consecutive World Cup in October 2023.

Coach Rassie Erasmus helped the team lift once again, with the work of former rugby guru Tony Brown having an impact. Before facing the All Blacks in Johannesburg, midfielder Jesse Kriel didn’t hesitate when saying the Boks were better now than at the World Cup.

The Springboks were only beaten twice in 2024, including a dramatic 25-24 loss to Ireland in mid-July and that first Test against Argentina. But with clinical wins over Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and England, there’s no doubting the Boks’ status as one of the world’s best.

“They’re the best positioned in world rugby,” Drew Mitchell insisted. “The depth that Rassie Erasmus has created is phenomenal. He used I think 51 players this year and not because he had to but because they were in a position or privilege where they were so strong that they could afford to make wholesale changes against teams that are still tier one nations.

“By doing that [he] was blooding young guys to that arena so that in the instance that some of these guys don’t make it to the ’27 World Cup, they’ve got ready and made replacements.

“I think he’s always innovating, Rassie, he’s got genuine superstars. He’s got players that can play different types of footy, they can play that 10-man rugby if they need to – if the opposition or conditions call on that – but they can also play expansive.

“Of yesteryear, the Springboks were probably criticised for not being able to play that type of footy but you look at the Cheslin Kolbe’s, the [Kurt-Lee] Arendse’s, the [Aphelele] Fassi’s at fullback, [Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu]… they just have the capacity to really open teams up and play that transition type footy as well.”