By Rex Gowar
MENDOZA, Argentina Aug 26 (Reuters) – Argentina’s 16-16 draw with South Africa represents a huge step forward for the Pumas — but they want even better results in the new Rugby Championship according to captain Juan Fernandez Lobbe.
The performance was confirmation that it was not a mistake to bring Argentina into the major annual competition they had lacked, expanding the Tri-nations into a four-team tournament.
The Pumas are not blinded, though, by the result and are fully aware that playing world champions New Zealand away next requires another big step up.
But then Argentine rugby has for more than a decade taken big strides forward from their first Rugby World Cup quarter-final in 1995 with a third place finish in 2007 to their credit.
“It’s good what we achieved but this team wants to improve,” said Fernandez Lobbe.
“Everyone saw our disappointed faces when the match ended. Its true we’ll remember this match all our lives, but we like to win and victory slipped away by very little,” he told reporters.
Argentina were a quarter of an hour from beating South Africa for the first time when centre Frans Steyn charged down a kick and scored the try that salvaged the draw with Morne Steyn’s conversion.
“DAY TO REMEMBER”
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