ARGENTINA: RUGBY UNION: Normally soccer-mad Argentina is loving their team's Rugby World Cup run

In a country where soccer usually reigns supreme, over the last few weeks in Argentina it's been all about rugby, rugby, rugby. The national team's gloriously surprising results at the Rugby World Cup -- first upsetting hosts France 17-12 in the opening game, beating Ireland 30-15 to win their pool and finally defeating Scotland 19-13 in the quarter final - has caught the imagination of a nation. Argentina faces its first-ever Rugby World Cup semi-final -- against South Africa on Sunday (1900 GMT) - and their country will be watching nervously. "Let's go Pumas, let's go! Get out there and win! Let's go Pumas, let's go," shouted a group of school boys who play rugby at the capital's Buenos Aires City Club. Young Argentine boys often say at the end of each soccer World Cup that all they ever do is start waiting for the next one. But ever since the Rugby World Cup kick-off, soccer seems to have taken the backseat and most families have been all but glued to their television screens cheering on their now-adored national team. School age players at the capital's Buenos Aires Rugby Club are perhaps their most devoted fans. "I thought the match against France was important, because France is one of the best teams. And how they mowed down the All Blacks from New Zealand, they could have mowed down us," said 12-year-old rugby player, Juan Cruz Antuna. Many Argentine boys now say they want to be like Juan Martin Hernandez or Felipe Contepomi - the two Argentines on the five-man shortlist for the IRB World Player of the Year award that might become the country's first-ever players to win the coveted title. "I was surprised, but I also had confidence in the Pumas because they play really well. But I have been watching all of the matches up until now. I want to be a Puma," said 11-year-old Lucas Soto. The Buenos Aires City rugby club is located in the same neighborhood as the wildly popular River Plate soccer team. But new players have been signing up to all of its divisions at an astounding rate. "Every day we are accepting more boys or taking calls or messages from boys that want to come to the club. We don't have any numbers to tell you because we are in the middle of signing them all up and seeing what will happen. But it all happening very recently. This has exploded now," said Buenos Aires city rugby club official Alberto Seoane. Parents say they like the friendly rugby culture, and many Argentines have looked on in pride at how passionately the Pumas have played and presented themselves throughout the tournament. "What interests me more than the game itself is the values held within this sport. The people, after seeing it say "How is it that they sing the anthem and cry and sing it loudly." We normally always sing the anthem in a small voice like we are embarrassed or something and suddenly people see this, and they notice the bond, the camaraderie between the players and the team on the field. I think that is the best thing about rugby for at the moment: its values," said one of the rugby fathers, Gustavo Antuna. But is this a fad or can rugby really triumph in such a soccer-obsessed country? Eleven-year-old Agustin Lopez Daneri said he was unconvinced. "Rugby is cool because it is more about team work, but I still like soccer more," Lopez Daneri said. Sunday's semi-final will be played at the Stade de France in Paris.

ITN Source | October 12, 2007

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