Rugby Tri Nations: Pride, Confidence, and Michael Cheika – The Inside Story of How Argentina Shocked the Rugby World



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Sport|Rugby

Argentina faces the media after handing the All Blacks their second consecutive loss. Video / Rugby Australia / Sky Sport
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They represented a country in a Covid lockdown since March. Half a dozen players, plus the inspiring head coach Mario Ledesma, have had the virus. They haven’t played a match together since the Rugby World Cup 13 months ago. They just beat the All Blacks for the first time.

Not surprisingly, emotions were running high on the field of Bankwest Stadium in Western Sydney even before the final whistle sounded for their epic 25-15 win over an All Black team in full force, presumably highly motivated to respond to the loss last weekend to the Wallabies in Brisbane.

There were chants in the stands and tears in the coaches’ box. In the final moments before referee Angus Gardner signaled the full time, Ledesma, after congratulating his fellow coaches, including former Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika, glanced at his players on the field and quickly looked towards other side, overcome.

“It’s a bit surreal what just happened,” Ledesma said later. “Not only the result, but even playing the game was surreal for us.”

It’s one of the biggest surprises in the history of Test Rugby because it’s hard to imagine a more challenging test preparation. The Pumas are the only Three Nations team in Australia to go through a strict quarantine, which meant they couldn’t train as a team for weeks. Their lack of playing time meant that players suffered multiple soft tissue injuries during training.

Cheika, the Australian who delivered a key message to the team upon arrival, often had to watch workouts from a coaching box away from the field and communicate through Zoom meetings.

Argentina's players wave to the crowd as they celebrate after the Tri-Nations rugby match between Argentina and New Zealand at Bankwest Stadium, Sydney, Australia.  Photo / AP
Argentina’s players wave to the crowd as they celebrate after the Tri-Nations rugby match between Argentina and New Zealand at Bankwest Stadium, Sydney, Australia. Photo / AP

And that’s before getting into what’s happening at home; There are more than 1.1 million cases of Covid in Argentina and more than 35,000 people have died from the virus.

“It’s tough there right now,” captain Pablo Matera said. “It was difficult for us all to be together here in Australia. We represented a lot of things. I think it was a blessing in the energy that we had.”

With the monstrous wing Matera in charge, they took control from the opening whistle. They showed greater discipline and composure – problem areas in the past, but better than the All Blacks on Saturday – and dictated the terms through their first five Nicolás Sánchez, who scored all his points.

Fundamentally, however, the victory was due to a defensive wall built on pride and trust and the All Blacks had no response. From New Zealand’s perspective, there will be real concern that it could happen again at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium in fifteen days.

“We feel the confidence,” Matera said. “We were confident without the ball. We were disciplined and we knew the guy next to us would do the job.”

How they did it? “There is no magic formula,” Ledesma replied.

Argentina's players greet their supporters as they celebrate after the Tri-Nations rugby match between Argentina and New Zealand at Bankwest Stadium.  Photo / AP
Argentina’s players greet their supporters as they celebrate after the Tri-Nations rugby match between Argentina and New Zealand at Bankwest Stadium. Photo / AP

“We started working in January with Pablo and some of the guys around the team we wanted and we talked about identity and culture. The big difference, I suppose, is that now they are owners. It’s their team. It’s always the players and they have Ha It’s been great during the pandemic situation, just going from quarantine to quarantine; some of the kids haven’t seen their families for four months. They haven’t complained once. “

Ledesma agreed that he was the best coach of his career. “It has to be up there, 100 percent, for the emotional journey we’ve been on and everything we’ve experienced.

“I think they are the only team that we have not beaten. I think we will remember this for a long time, not just because of the game, but because of the special situation that brought us to the game.”

Players from Argentina wave to the crowd as they celebrate after the Tri-Nations rugby match between Argentina and New Zealand at Bankwest Stadium.  Photo / AP
Players from Argentina wave to the crowd as they celebrate after the Tri-Nations rugby match between Argentina and New Zealand at Bankwest Stadium. Photo / AP

When asked about the influence of Cheika, the former Wallabies head coach who was fired last year, Matera revealed a key piece of advice delivered by the Australian.

“Seeing us as a team from the outside, he came to us the first day and said ‘hey, what are you waiting for? You have everything, you have great players, physical players, young players, a lot of energy, go and take it. Just take it. That made us believe in ourselves a lot. “

In the end, Ledesma could not explain what he had witnessed.

“We’ve come a long way. It’s about energy and commitment and playing for the most beautiful jersey in the world.”

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