It seems there are no limits to this seven-team Argentine squad racing Santiago Gomez Cora. Beyond having achieved its objective of qualifying for the third consecutive time at the Olympic Games, the national team is looking for another gold medal: for the semi-finals of the World Tour stage In Toulouse, the Pumas Seven have clearly beaten Canada 33-5 and will play against New Zealand in the definition of the title.

Context with Canadians

Argentina knew they had a difficult engagement with Canada, who were the surprise of the tournament and had already left Uruguay, Kenya and Australia on the road, after losing on their debut to New Zealand , to reach this stage. For the Argentinians, the Canadians have never been an easy rival to face despite the record in favor which marked 44 wins and 20 losses with 2 draws and a last win in the 2022/23 Hong Kong circuit by 17-7. The team arrived with all the wind in their favor after qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, sealing it by winning their group unbeaten after beating Germany, Spain, Great Britain, with a victory included, and defeated South Africa in the quarter-finals. That’s why nothing seemed impossible now and they were looking for a new final.

Thus, they entered the field with: Germán Schultz, Luciano González, Agustín Fraga, Gastón Revol (captain), Marcos Moneta, Rodrigo Isgró and Santiago Vera Feld. While on the relay bench were Santiago Álvarez, Mateo Graziano, Tomás Elizalde, Tobías Wade and Joaquín Pellandini.

A monologue from Los Pumas Seven in a heartbreaking first half

The start was with the start for Canada and Argentina kept the ball. The pressure was the Argentinian domain. First Isgró and later Vera Feld financed the Canadian mark which committed a penalty. Isgró sent the ball over the line and Los Pumas went there looking for the first try. The game couldn’t end well, as Isgró gave the ball to Moneta on the right, but there was a knock-on from the Argentine try and Canada were released after 1.30′ of play .

Canada’s start did not prosper, due to a good hold from Germán Schultz and after a fanning from Rodrigo Isgró, Argentina’s first conquest arrived to put it 5-0.

The domestic outing was with Revol and a Canadian attack to win the ball. After the scrum again the Isgró-Moneta formula worked perfectly, as throughout the tournament, to achieve the second conquest. This time Santiago Vera Feld’s kick was good and it was 12-0 for Argentina.

Another outing and now it was Agustín Fraga who took the ball after Isgró’s pass and with a quick run Fraga backed him up in the goal for a surprised Canada who couldn’t stop the onslaught of an unstoppable national team. Vera Feld’s goal made it 19-0 for Argentina, who were still very focused on looking for more and reaching another final.

And before the end of the first half, the player of Mendoza, the bulldozer Isgró, after a recovered ball and the tip in his favor, went directly to the try and with a new smile, leaving the result 26-0 , with the goal this time by Luciano González. So they went to rest with the game set and the final as their new goal.

A second half with the necessary spare parts and the pass for the final

The second half continued with the ball in the hands of the Argentines, and we know that when the ball is in possession of Gómez Cora’s team, things work perfectly. Without rushing, with more calm and patience, the national team managed the ball so as not to run out by having one foot in the final.

Rotations that began to arrive with the variants, the income of all the substitutes to take care of the starters and reach the definition of fresher gold.

The Argentinian team continued in the same vein, the substitutes played the same way and filled the script perfectly, having the ball and passing the time.

Canada was now going to play on the Argentinian court for the first time, but the Argentinian defense in the rucks worked well and got the ball back.

In any case, Canada, hurt by the large score against, went at least to seek the discount to decorate the final result. Yellow for Tobías Wade for an infraction and Canada which achieved its first conquest thanks to Kalin Sager. Less than two minutes from the end and with a score of 26 to 5, Los Pumas knew they were the winners. They had to handle the ball and run the clock to go for the gold in Toulouse.

But before the final whistle, Los Matreros man Mateo Graziano arrived from the left sector and supported Argentina’s fifth conquest and his second personal in this tournament. Gastón Revol added two more points to leave the final table with a 33-5 in favor of Argentina.

The final will take place from 12:56 p.m., in the meantime we continue to enjoy this unique gift for Argentine rugby through the Gómez Cora team.

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