A Loss That Inspires Hope
On Saturday, August 8, 2026, at a packed Vélez Sarsfield stadium in Buenos Aires, Los Pumas faced South Africa in the Copa Visa Galicia. Although the final score was 17-10 in favor of the Springboks, the performance of the Argentine squad—composed mostly of substitutes—left a sense of pride and optimism for the future.
Match Context
Head coach Felipe Contepomi made 13 changes to the starting lineup, resting key players based in Europe and focusing on the 2027 World Cup. This decision allowed four players to debut for the senior team: Francisco Moreno (starter), Juan Penoucos, Leonel Oviedo, and Juan Martín Scelzo. Before kickoff, a heartfelt minute of silence was observed in memory of Jorge Messi, father of football superstar Lionel Messi, who passed away that same day.
Key Moments
- Promising start: Santiago Carreras opened the scoring with a penalty in the 2nd minute.
- Argentine try: In the 9th minute, after a scrum that earned a penalty, Benjamín Grondona touched down following a brilliant pass from Boris Wenger, making it 10-3.
- South African response: Before halftime, Edwill van der Merwe scored to level the match at 10-10.
- Second half: South Africa asserted their dominance, with Cameron Hanekom crossing for the decisive try to make it 17-10.
The Final Play and Moroni's Emotion
In the dying moments, Pablo Matera executed a brilliant 50-22 kick, putting Los Pumas just meters from the try line. After several phases, Lucio Cinti passed to Matías Moroni, who failed to control the ball and knocked it on, ending the match. A devastated Moroni couldn't hold back tears, but his teammates embraced him and the crowd gave him a standing ovation.
What's Next for Los Pumas
The Argentine team will continue their test match tour, replacing the Rugby Championship. Their next opponents are Australia: August 29 in Jujuy and September 5 in Mendoza. Let's keep supporting Los Pumas in this new cycle!