EXCLUSIVE: Change rule or continue to watch Argentinian rugby decline - Bosch
Marcelo Bosch helped Argentina reach the 2015 World Cup semi-finals but fears the Pumas will not make a similar impact in Japan unless they reverse their decision to ignore European based players.
Argentina are up against England, France, USA and Tonga at the 2019 World Cup and need all the talent they can assemble and head into tomorrow’s clash with England at Twickenham unable to call on more than 20 players who are contracted to French and English clubs, including 39-cap Bosch, who is a double European Champions Cup winner at Saracens alongside Pumas prop Juan Figallo, also cast into test exile.
Bosch is hoping a possible change in the Argentina Rugby Union hierarchy in March could signal a shift of policy but admits that after six successive defeats in this year’s Rugby Championship under coach Daniel Hourcade, it will take more than a recall for their European players to turn the team’s fortunes around. The Pumas team relies on the home-based Jaguares Super Rugby franchise squad that is, like the national team, struggling to find any consistent success.
Bosch said:” I know that there will be a new election of the rugby union board in Argentina in think in March but up to then no changes will apply. There were discussions about bringing in Argentina players from Europe for the November test matches but it didn’t happen and so they are still with the same group(of players) and nothing has changed.
“I don’t know if things will change next year and maybe the results of these three November games may have an influence. If they did call on those other players it would add value to the team but they also have to improve the rugby. Just bringing back players from Europe won’t win games for Argentina – they need to improve aspects of the game they are not coping well with.
“ We have started to play a new brand of rugby, keeping the ball in hand, going through phases to put teams under pressure with quicker ball at the rucks. When we started playing that way we had a good defence, set piece and forwards. Now, teams know how we are going to play and put us under pressure because we play with the ball in hand and our scrum is suffering. It was always a strength and that is quite unusual and I hope that we analysed what happened in the Rugby Championship and get some confidence from these November test matches. “
Bosch points to the loss of No8 Facundo Isa and prop Ramiro Herrera to French rugby as evidence that the current policy is not working and players are still being lured to Europe. He added:“After the World Cup ended in 2015 it was all based on the new franchise about getting the best team possible and keep the emerging players in Argentina.
After two years, results are not being positive, particularly this year in Super Rugby and also for the national team and questions are being asked. Nothing is changing at the moment and it must be difficult for the Jaguares squad which has to deal with Super Rugby and after that they have to play international and that is a pretty tough.
“I didn’t think that after playing super rugby for two years and so near the World Cup that Ramiro Herrera would leave the franchise and join Stade Francais. I found it shocking that Facund Isa left for France but he made his choice and I hope he is enjoying his rugby.
“When players come into the national squad from other teams it always adds value with other strategies and ambitions for the game. They bring a freshness and energy and the more players in the squad the more competition you have for the places all of that generates something good for a team but it is as it is. I am sure the players are giving everything whenever they pull on the Argentina jersey but you take away the competition if the players in Europe are not involved.”
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
55 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
55 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
55 Go to comments