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'It's incredible the amount of chat from Irish players across the board'
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Los Pumas ready for Singapore and Perth after 'perfect' winter preparation
By Joe Harvey
At the end of a busy winter Los Pumas 7s have named their squad that will travel to Singapore and Perth for upcoming HSBC SVNS Series legs.
In the weeks since their runners-up finish in Cape Town, Santiago Gómez Cora’s team have busied themselves in numerous training camps and even won the Super Sevens in Mar del Plata.
It was at that tournament that the squad, who finished dead last in Dubai, got to experience the affection of a home crowd ahead of a final training camp in Pinamar.
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Santiago Gómez Cora, Los Pumas 7s head coach, said: “We made the decision to take the first team to Mar del Plata based on the results. After analyzing the situation following the first tour, we realized the new players lacked playing time, something that had never happened to us before, given how much turnover we had from one season to the next.
“On the other hand, besides getting into a rhythm, playing in Argentina was a great way to give back to the fans for the support they give us throughout the year, especially in recent years. Everything went perfectly.
“We gained valuable playing time as a team, gelled together, and felt a surge of love, allowing us to repay some of what they give us.”
For Singapore, Argentina have been named in a challenging Pool B alongside Australia, France and New Zealand.
Los Pumas know that they will have be at the top of their game at the Singapore National Stadium to offer themselves the best possible chance at Day 2 progression.
“Two extremely tough stages are coming up,” Gómez Cora said. “Because of the travel, the time zone, and how difficult the circuit is. With the eight best teams, there’s no room for error.
“It makes it more entertaining for the outsiders, but much more complex for us. We saw that in the first two stages, where we finished last in the first place and then, four or five days later, we finished second.
“We have to be more focused than ever and stay focused on building the team and giving the new players experience.”
Los Pumas 7s squad for Singapore and Perth
Santiago Álvarez
Martiniano Arrieta
Juan Patricio Batac
Pedro de Haro
Luciano Gonzalez
Matteo Graziano
Valentine Maldonado
Santiago Mare
Marcos Moneta
Eliseo Morales
Joaquín Pellandini
Gregorio Pérez Pardo
Santiago Vera Feld
Santino Zangara
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