A whiskered beast on the badge of their blue and white kit provided inspiration, but the reporter in question was no feline specialist, clued up on his South American cats enough only to know that it must be either a jaguar or a puma stitched onto the Argentinians’ chest.
His punt of the Pumas was wrong but the nickname stuck. Last year, the Argentina union finally gave in, correcting their crest to the creature by which their national rugby side had long been known.
Perhaps the yarn is apocryphal but it is strangely befitting of a nation that has always occupied a curious place in rugby’s ecosystem. There is deep history of the sport in the country – the British & Irish Lions toured in 1910 – but the Pumas have always felt unloved, to some extent, by rugby’s administrators. In a territory in which the sport has no other true stronghold, they have been an oddity at a top table they belatedly joined with their elevation into the Rugby Championship in 2012.
Argentina’s men have competed at every World Cup and reached semi-finals at three of the last five tournaments, but success in the Southern Hemisphere’s premier international competition has been elusive. In their first decade after joining the Tri-Nations heavyweights, Argentina avoided the wooden spoon only twice.
But results in recent years show that something special may be stirring. In November of 2020, the All Blacks were conquered for the first time; two years later, a first win was secured on New Zealand soil and England were beaten at Twickenham. This year’s Rugby Championship has brought another significant step forward: victory over the Springboks in a raucous Santiago del Estero meant that the Pumas had conquered each of the Southern Hemisphere’s big beasts in a single campaign for the first time.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
No title until Reds become road warriors, warns Slot
Liverpool boss says team must match away form of rivals
United stuck in 'purgatory' and facing only one way out
When one prominent football figure caught a glimpse of the Manchester United dressing room recently, they immediately recognised a scene they had seen from rival clubs. That was a squad that \"doesn't know what next\" and feels like it's \"going nowhere\". It isn't intentional, of course, but is a feeling that starts to grip a group when there's no sense of clarity.
Fifa transfer rules 'contrary to EU law', Diarra case finds
Fifa will have to update key paragraphs of its transfer rules to ensure punishment of players for breaking contracts is less draconian, after a European Court of Justice ruling on the Lassana Diarra case.
Marital rape is not rape, argues Indian government
The Indian government has opposed calls to classify consensual sexual acts committed by a husband against his wife as \"rape\", saying that to do so could have an impact on conjugal relationships and disturb the institution of marriage.
Screaming statue tribute to doctor raped and killed in India causes controversy
A bust installed outside a state-run hospital in India where a resident doctor was raped and killed has sparked anger and shock as it depicts a woman screaming in agony, her head thrown back and eyes wide open.
Haitian gang shoots at least 70 people in town rampage
Gang members brandishing automatic rifles have stormed through a town in Haiti's main breadbasket region, killing at least 70 people and forcing another 3,000 to flee.
Beirut hit again by Israel as Iran vows not to back down
Israeli military claims strikes targeted new Hezbollah leaders
Police officers win appeal in athlete stop and search case
Two former Metropolitan Police officers have been handed their jobs back after winning an appeal against a ruling that they had lied about a stop and search incident involving British athlete Bianca Williams.
Royal Navy chief apologises for submarine service abuse
The head of the Royal Navy has apologised after an investigation found \"misogyny, bullying and other unacceptable behaviours\" in the submarine service.
Women say gender equality in the workplace has stalled
Gender equality in the workplace has stalled as women report experiencing many of the same challenges as they did nearly 30 years ago, a new survey of high-flyers suggests.
