Argentina vs Australia, for the Three Nations: the Pumas face the Wallabies after a week agitated by Maradona and racist tweets

12/04/2020 10:24 PM

• Clarín.com

• sports

Updated 12/04/2020 10:24 PM

The Pumas will face this Saturday from 5.45 (ESPN2) to the Wallabies in Sydney, Australia, in the last game of the Three Nations in the middle of a tense atmosphere after the controversy over the racist tweets of three Argentine players.

Everything had started well for Argentina in this tournament between teams from the Southern Hemisphere: a historic inaugural victory against the All Blacks on November 14 (25-15) and then a creditable draw a week later against Australia (15-15).

But for a few days the controversy settled in the concentration of the team led by Mario Ledesma.

The cold water bucket suffered against the All Blacks with the intention of revenge (38-0) last Saturday, another gruesome episode followed, born of the coming out of old xenophobic and discriminatory tweets written by three of their players between 2011 and 2013;

its captain and third row from Stade Français Pablo Matera, second row from Bordeaux-Bègles Guido Petti and hooker Santiago Socino (Jaguares).

Guido Petti and Pablo Matera, two of the Pumas that remained in the eye of the storm.

The three were punished after their tweets spread, which came to light shortly after another controversy: the poor tribute that the Argentine rugby team paid to the recently deceased Diego Maradona, before the duel with the All Blacks, which they did remember. to the legendary Argentine footballer.

Although on Wednesday the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) annulled the sanctions against the three players, the controversy splashed on the Argentine team.

None of the three will play on Saturday against the Wallabies for the last date of the Tri Nations, which this year is played in Australia, "after having reached an agreement with the union not to play this match," according to Ledesma.

"All I can say is that they are three good players and three great men, they are formidable human beings," said the coach.

"They have suffered a lot this week, their families have suffered a lot. It is very sad to see this," added Ledesma, who for the match will entrust the captain's armband to Jerónimo de la Fuente.

Mario Ledesma had a difficult week in Australia.

Photo: AFP

The opening of the Stade Français Nicolás Sánchez, author of all the points of his selection (40) so far in this edition of the Rugby Championship, will start, like his partner in Paris Marcos Kremer.

For the Pumas the objective is to finish in second place a competition in which South Africa, current world champion and Rugby Championship, does not participate this year.

New Zealand is not mathematically champion yet but only an unlikely result would separate it from the title: a victory for Australia by a 101-point margin or a victory for Argentina by 93 points.

Australia, meanwhile, wants to confirm the progress seen in their only win against the All Blacks this year (24-22).

For this, the player Michael Hooper said this Friday that they need "a complete performance of attack, counterattack and defense."

To keep Los Pumas "to a minimum we need to be disciplined," he added.

Australian starter Reece Hodge will delay his position to make way for James O'Connor, who is returning from injury.

"It is great that James is back on the team this weekend. He brings a lot of experience to a young group and worked very hard to prepare his body to play again," greeted Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.

Formations

Australia:

Reece Hodge;

Tom Wright, Jordan Petaia, Hunter Paisami, Marika Koroibete;

James O'Connor, Nic White;

Harry Wilson, Michael Hooper (Capt.), Ned Hanigan;

Matt Philip, Rob Simmons;

Allan Alaalatoa, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Scott Sio.

Substitutes: Folau Fainga'a, Angus Bell, Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Rob Valetini, Jake Gordon, Irae Simone, Tom Banks DT: Dave Rennie.

Argentina

: Santiago Carreras;

Bautista Delguy, Matías Orlando, Jerónimo de la Fuente (capt.), Emiliano Boffelli;

Nicolás Sánchez, Felipe Ezcurra;

Rodrigo Bruni, Facundo Isa, Santiago Grondona;

Marcos Kremer, Matías Alemanno;

Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julián Montoya, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.

Substitutes: José Luis González, Mayco Vivas, Juan Pablo Zeiss, Lucas Paulos, Francisco Gorrissen, Gonzalo Bertranou, Domingo Miotti, Santiago Chocobares DT: Mario Ledesma.

Source: AFP