Following the high of reaching a World Cup final in Dubai earlier this year, the Argentinean rugby sevens team have had to rebuild their side in preparation for the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens which kicks off in a month’s time.
The Argentineans took the Rugby World Cup Sevens by storm in March, defeating title favourites South Africa in the quarterfinal stage and then getting the better of Kenya to reach the final, where they were eventually downed by the victorious Welsh side.
But the South Americans paid the price for their success at that incredible tournament, with four of the players from that side being snapped up by the national 15s team. Now it’s a case of rebuilding the side, ultimately in preparation for the sport’s return to the Olympic Games held in their continent in 2016.
“We have to build up a new team after the one that finished second in the Rugby World Cup Sevens last March was dismantled. Four of them have already been promoted to Los Pumas and four more to the Jaguars [the two premier 15s sides in Argentina],” explained team coach Nicol?s Fern?ndez Lobbe, who is in his first season as head coach of the Sevens side.
“Argentina’s goal is to finish in the top five at season’s end which given that we are starting a new team will be hard. We always start a tournament with the goal of reaching the Cup, and that is our initial aim in Dubai,” he added.
Argentina have been grouped with former series champions New Zealand, last year’s Bowl winners Portugal and France in Pool D. “In the IRB Series any team in the top eight, even the core 12 nations, are all very even and each game is very hard. We have New Zealand in our pool in Dubai, but anything can happen to us or to them,” said Lobbe, who has played in Dubai three times himself. His last tournament for Argentina (his 20th) was the Wellington Sevens in 2007.
“Dubai is a fascinating city. It was a shock the first time I went there how modern and luxurious it was. Another thing that always strikes us is the number of travelling fans that go to Dubai for the Sevens,” reckoned the coach.
“We are looking forward to welcoming back the team from Argentina to the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens. They proved in March that they have what it takes to go right to the top and even though they have a fairly new team for this tournament, I have no doubt they will once again put in an impressive performance with their always-exciting brand of rugby,” said Gary Chapman, President Group Services and Dnata, Emirates Group.
Tickets to the tournament are still on sale at The Sevens ground on the Al Ain Road, Emirates headquarters, the Dnata Travel Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road and numerous Costa and MMI outlets as well as online.