Pumas determined to beat the best

Press, 20 August 1979, Page 34

Pumas determined to beat the best

PA Auckland The Argentine rugby team has a simple mission in New Zealand, according to its captain, Hugo Porta. “Every match we play will be a test match which we must win.”

The second part of the mission will be to prove that the Pumas are ready for a place in world rugby.

Asked if he was disappointed that the Pumas would play two New Zealands XVs, rather than full tests against New Zealand, said that he was liightly disappointed. “However, by the end of the tour we may have proved that we are worthy of playing full tests,” he Said, after the team’s arrival In New Zealand yesterday. "Anyway the names of the players, rather than the name of the team, is the more important. When we played and drew at Twickenham last year, the name of the team was an England XV, but the names of the players meant that it was the England team. “It will be the same when We play the New Zealand XVs,” said Porta. “They are

New Zealanders, and they will be very hard.”

Porta and the Pumas’ coach, Mr Luis Gradin, a former international halfback, were more inclined to turn into interviewers than interviewees.

They wanted to know as much as possible about the strength of New Zealand rugby, the ability of the teams they will play, and frequently asked about the weather, for they made no secret that the Pumas would prefer dry, fast grounds. Mr Gradin described his side as young (the average is a shade over 24) and picked with an eye for the future. Goal-kicking should be a Puma strength. Mr Eric Kember, who is secretary of the selection committee (and who has not been back to his native New Zealand since the early 19205) said that the Pumas could call on four first-rate goal-kickers.

“Porta and Martin Sansot, the full-back, are excellent kickers, and Marcelo Loffreda, the centre, and Juan Piccardo, the fly half are also very useful.”

Mr Kember said that the Pumas’ team had fine potential: “We sent a young team to England last year, and many of that team are in this side, so they will be a year better in experience. They could develop into a very good side.” Porta, the world ranked five-eighths, agreed. “We have a good side, we have mobility, and we know that the tour will be important for Argentine rugby. We also know that New Zealand is among the best rugby countries in the world, ana there will be no easy games,” he said.

Some of the Pumas’ forwards looked even bigger than their formidable statistics suggested.