How rugby union is 'booming' in football-mad Argentina
Summary
Rugby union is growing in Argentina, a country mostly known for football and Lionel Messi. Argentina’s rugby team, the Pumas, has reached several Rugby World Cup semi-finals, boosting interest in the sport across social classes and regions.Key Facts
- Argentina’s rugby team, the Pumas, reached three Rugby World Cup semi-finals in the last five tournaments (2007, 2015, 2023).
- Head coach Felipe Contepomi played in the 2007 World Cup and says amateur rugby is growing strongly in Argentina.
- Rugby is played across all social classes and provinces, not just in Buenos Aires.
- Tucuman is said to be the only place in Argentina where rugby is more popular than football.
- Argentina has never had a fully professional rugby club team; their club Jaguares folded in 2020 due to money issues.
- The semi-professional Super Rugby Americas league helps develop Argentine players for the national team.
- Argentina’s rugby team faces challenges because many players are based in different parts of the world and have limited time to train together.
- The team aims to be consistently ranked in the top four in the world and continues to improve through competitions like the Nations Championship.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
