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How Olympic bronze inspired Argentina’s SVNS meteoric rise
For the world’s best athletes, the opportunity to represent their nation at the Olympic Games is the result of years and years of hard work, sacrifice and unwavering commitment.
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It’s an honour like no other in sport, and it’s captured the imaginations of the best SVNS players on the circuit. Every four years, rugby players realise their Olympic dreams.
While some join the exclusive club of SVNS gold medallists at the Games, that’s not the only prize to fight for on the world’s biggest sporting stage. These men and women transcend their roles as athletes as they forge a legacy for others to follow.
The Argentina rugby sevens team fought valiantly for a once unlikely bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics a couple of years ago. While they fell short of gold, it was the start of something special.
It was a turning point for Los Pumas Sevens, who up until that point had only ever won three cup finals on the men’s SVNS Series. But the dawn of a new era was upon them.
Following the Games, Argentina had the confidence to take on the rugby SVNS world – and it’s completely transformed their program.
Argentina have won four cup finals since Vancouver in 2022, and the South Americans fell heartbreakingly short of another title in their first-ever Dubai decider last weekend.
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But for a team that’s never won the overall title on the series – finishing last season with a best-ever finish of second behind champions New Zealand – Argentina has arrived as a genuine sevens force.
“It was a big process to accomplish this,” sevens star Marcos Moneta told RugbyPass after Argentina’s win over the All Blacks Sevens in Dubai.
“After Tokyo, with the bronze medal, we realised that we could be in the top three so the season after Tokyo I think we stayed fourth or third in the grid and last season (we were) second with three championships, three gold medals.
“It motivates you always when you’re at the top but it was a long process that people like Gaston Revol, Santiago Alvarez and German Schulz were in sevens since 2016.
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“They passed the bat… and now to be up there, we’re happy for the team and we’re happy for them for the effort that they put in to build this team, to carry us as team leaders. Really happy.”
With a breakout season in the SVNS Series in 2022/23 now behind them, Los Pumas Sevens are looking to not only maintain that level of excellence and success but improve it.
Argentina ended a 14-year cup final drought when they defeated Fiji at the Vancouver Sevens in mid-April 2022.
But little did the world know that when veteran Gaston Revol lifted the trophy in Canada on that fateful night, it was the start of something transformative.
After another three cup wins – including a victory over the All Blacks Sevens in New Zealand earlier this year – Argentina prepared for another crunch clash as they looked to book a place in their first-ever Dubai final.
It came down to the wire at The Sevens Stadium in the UAE desert but Argentina defeated sevens rivals New Zealand 21-19 in an enthralling semi-final clash.
“Emotions (are) happy. We’re always looking to play these sorts of matches: quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals,” Moneta said with a smile stretched across his face.
“There’s a big road to Paris and all of these matches will help.
“Versing New Zealand, nowadays they’re the best in sevens rugby – they demonstrated that last season. We always want to play with them to improve ourselves, improve our team. Really happy for the win.
“I’m really proud for the team,” he added.
“As kids, we are born and if we watch rugby then New Zealand is up there always so to beat New Zealand, it’s incredible.
“Last season we played four matches, we only won the final in Hamilton… really happy for the win.”
Argentina were beaten in the final by serial Dubai SVNS champions South Africa – with the Blitzboks winning their eighth final in 10 events in the UAE.
But Los Pumas Sevens should hold their heads up high. As a genuine heavyweight of the sport nowadays, they have an opportunity to bounce back in Cape Town this weekend.
Drawn in a pool alongside Fiji, France and Spain, Argentina will have their work cut out for them though as they look to create even more history on the SVNS Series.
Comments on RugbyPass
Danny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
35 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
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