Felipe Contepomi – It will be an honour for Argentina to take on the British & Irish Lions

Joe Santamaria talks to Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi about the challenges of a tour by England – and the Lions

The European teams are in the midst of the Six Nations, but when they find time to plan their route to World Cup glory in 2027, they would do well to keep one eye on South America.

After a historic 2024 that saw record wins against New Zealand and Australia, head coach Felipe Contepomi has turned Argentina into a force to be reckoned with.

“It was a great year and I really enjoyed it,” Contepomi told The Rugby Paper. “We had some good results but there were challenges too. Eight out of our 12 games were against the top four teams in the world.”

Of those four teams, Ireland were the only side Argentina failed to beat last year, falling three points short in November. In that unenviable run of games, they managed to put 38 points past New Zealand in Wellington, the most the All Blacks have ever conceded on home soil, and a staggering 67 past Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies in Santa Fe. Despite all this, Contepomi’s expression is difficult to interpret when I call the year a success.

He responds: “Of course, there were things that can improve but we have a good group here. They are eager to learn and get better, so we will keep working.”

Super Rugby Americas Pathway

One undisputed positive of 2024 was the number of players that graduated from the continent’s club league, Super Rugby Americas, to the national team.

Exeter’s bruising second row Franco Molina had his first taste of international rugby just weeks after leading his franchise, Dogos, to victory in the final against fellow Argentine side, Pampas.

“It is crucial for us as it provides a professional pathway for the young players here. Previously, our players were playing amateur club rugby here where the level is good but now they can live a professional lifestyle.”

This season, a third Argentine franchise, Tarucas, will join the competition, which includes teams from Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, and Chile.

Many of Argentina’s stars of tomorrow will begin to make a name for themselves in the coming weeks, but for now, the majority of Contepomi’s squad still ply their trade in Europe, a situation that provides challenges as well as opportunities.

“The issue with so many of them playing club rugby on a northern hemisphere calendar is difficult because our international calendar is the southern hemisphere, so these guys can have 12-month seasons,” he said.

“It’s important for us to have a good rapport with the clubs so that we’re protecting the best interests of the players, not the clubs or the Pumas.

“Sometimes that means having to tell a player he’ll be rested for this game in July, for example, which can be hard as every player wants to play for their country.”

When compared to some of their international rivals, Argentina’s global footprint becomes even starker. In their game against Ireland, their starting XV featured players from 12 different clubs.

Global Players

For comparison, 11 of Ireland’s XV hail from a single club – Contepomi’s former team, Leinster. In spite of these differences, there are things about the two countries that Contepomi believes to be similar, having spent more than a decade in Ireland as a player and coach.

“We’re Latin people here and the people are so proud of our nation,” he said.

“I think it is the same in Ireland, maybe because of their history, I don’t know, but you can see it when they play for their country. It is the same in New Zealand and South Africa.”

In June, Contepomi will return to Ireland once again when his team faces the British & Irish Lions at the Aviva Stadium. It will be the Lions’ first game of a tour that culminates in three Tests against Australia, a side that suffered the worst defeat in their history against the Pumas last year.

While Australia have shown positive signs since then, there is an argument that Argentina might prove a tougher test for Andy Farrell’s touring party.

Contepomi is quick to dispel this notion: “It is not as simple as that. Joe has been doing great work with Australia and they will have more time to prepare.”

Lions Test

It will be the first time that Argentina have faced the Lions in 20 years, when Contepomi, then a player, helped his side to an unlikely 25-25 draw in Cardiff.

Since then, Argentina have made the World Cup semi-finals three times and beaten every Tier One side on multiple occasions. How long will they have to wait until other nations are preparing the Lions to face them?

“I know how special the Lions are for the players in the UK and Ireland. For us, it is an honour to face them. Maybe one day [they will tour Argentina] and we would love that, of course, but I think we need to be world champions first.”

If Argentina are to go all the way in 2027, there is every chance they will have to face England somewhere along the line. The two sides clashed twice during the last World Cup, with England winning on both occasions.

In July, they will renew acquaintances for two Tests in Argentina. With England likely to be missing several key players due to the Lions tour, the Pumas will smell blood, but Contepomi has been down this road too many times to get ahead of himself.

“It is normal for England to come here in Lions years. They did it in 2013 and 2017 and both times they won – I remember – I suffered when we played them in 2013!

“History tells us that it will be difficult. Sometimes when the players go away on Lions tour, the ones who replace them are the ones who have been knocking on the door for a long time.”

England’s Improvement

Only time will tell whether England’s win against France is a sign that things have really changed for the better, but Contepomi has no doubts about the scale of the task ahead: “They are progressing a lot and building something.

Their set-piece is strong and their defence is improving but they also have quality individuals. England is England – it is not about who the head coach is. It is the same for us. This is not my team – it is the Pumas.”

It is not hard to imagine Borthwick giving the same answer. There are parallels between the two head coaches: they are a similar age, are both ex-captains of their country, and both inherited their current jobs from former mentors, Eddie Jones, and Michael Cheika.

Additionally, with the likes of Simon Easterby and Contepomi’s former rival Ronan O’Gara being linked with top international jobs, the generation of players who came to the fore in the 2000s is beginning to take over the coaching landscape.

“With England likely to be missing key players, the Pumas will smell blood”

Contepomi said: “It is so different being a coach compared to being a player. As a player, all your focus is on yourself but when you’re a coach, you have to be available to everybody. It is not just about tactics – it is about people. They’re your biggest asset.”

Inspirations

He rattles off a list of coaches who left a positive mark on his career, including Cheika, Graham Henry, Stuart Lancaster, and Leo Cullen: “Every coach gave me something, even if it was showing me what not to do.”

One lesson he learned as a player and preaches as a coach is that no matter how conscientious you are, the outcome is ultimately out of your hands.

He said: “In most jobs, you can see the difficulties coming a long way away but in sport, you can go from high to low in seven days – it’s a rollercoaster! You have to remember that when you win, it doesn’t make you the best and when you lose, it doesn’t make you the worst.”

In a country as passionate as Argentina, this level-headed approach is one of the things that sets Contepomi apart. As a former goalkicker, he is no stranger to high-pressure moments, but he doesn’t see things that way: “Pressure is working 18 hours a day to feed your family. I get to do what I love.”

With no Lions tour on the horizon, Argentina will be targeting the 2027 World Cup in Australia and, with two years to go, they have never been in a better position.

2027 World Cup

But Contepomi is quick to point to history once again: “I don’t believe it when people say ‘this could be their year’. Look at Ireland and France in 2023 or New Zealand in 2007. We will be competitive but so will many other teams.”

While Argentina will be the only South American side with a realistic chance of winning the competition, they won’t be heading to Australia alone.

After a record three South American teams reached the tournament in France, there may well be four competing in Australia. Rugby is growing in South America every year, but an Argentine World Cup victory could supercharge its development.

“It could be a spark,” Contepomi admits. For now, the former fly-half must watch patiently as his future adversaries do battle. The Lions await in Dublin before England set out for South America.

“There is plenty more rugby to be played between now and the next World Cup, but if there is to be a spark that ignites this continent’s passion for rugby, don’t be surprised if Contepomi is the one holding the matches.

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