LA PRIMERA
VEZ ALL BLACKS- PUMAS EN WELLINGTON 1979
En 1979 se
produjo una programación inédita, los Pumas viajaron por primera vez a las
Antípodas, para realizar en Nueva Zelanda una gira entre agosto y setiembre de
8 partidos, y Australia entre octubre-noviembre jugó en Argentina 7 encuentros.
Los Pumas
disputaron con los All Blacks dos test no oficiales ya que se trató de dos
encuentros en Dunedin y Wellington ante un “Nueva Zelanda XV” , ya que no se concedíó “status”
de test para que sea Nueva Zelanda, a secas.
Fue un 15
de setiembre de 1979 en el penúltimo partido de la gira, cuando los Pumas se
presentaron por primera vez en ese “templo” que era el “Athletic Park”, de
Wellington, la “wind city” (la ciudad de los vientos), la capital de Nueva
Zelanda.
Allí los
All Blacksganaron 15-6 desplegando un
juego ofensivo con dinámica desatada por el tercera línea Murray Mexted e
interpretada por su capitán, el medio scrum David Loveridge (anotó el segundo
try), y la visión del apertura Eddie Dunn.
Los Pumas
contaron con una primera línea de carácter con el Topo Rodríguez, Javier Pérez
Cobo y Hugo Nicola, mientras que en la tercera línea tacklearon a destajo Tomás
Petersen, Ernesto Ure y Héctor Silva. Hugo Porta aportó los 6 puntos (2 penales).
Argentina: Sansot;
Campo, Madero, Loffreda y Cappelletti; Porta (capitán) y Soares Gache; Silva, Ure, y Petersen ; Iachetti y Travaglini;
. Nicola, Pérez Cobo y Rodríguez.
Nueva
Zelanda : Wilson; Ford, Cunningham, Keane y Fraser; Dunn y Loveridge (capitán); Stewart, Burgoyne
y Mexted; . Fleming y Stewart; Ashworth,
Sloane y Thomson.
Así Los Pumas recibieron ese bautismo, como ya había
ocurrido un año antes en Twickenham, donde logró la hazaña de empatar 13-13 con
Inglaterra, bautizada “An England XV” (un quince inglés), sin el status de test
, no obstante tener Inglaterra bordada en la camiseta blanca la Rosa de Lancaster.
A 32 años
de aquel desembarco, recuerdo el debút bajo
lluvia torrencial un 22 de agosto de
1979 en el noreste de Nueva Zelanda, en Gisborne y se ganó 26-3 al seleccionado provincial de Poverty
Bay (Bahía de la pobreza) . Era pleno invierno.
El segundo
fue en la metrópolis, Auckland, la ciudad más importante y en el templo, el “Eden
Park” donde se la ganó a la selección provincial de Auckland por 18-13. El tercero fue en Palmerston North .
El tercer
encuentro fue ante Manawatu en el Showgrounds Oval, en Palmerston North, un 29
de agosto y se ganó 21-10. El cuarto fue en Rotorua (la mayor concentración de
población maorí) y se ganó a Bay of Plenty (la Bahía de la Abundancia) por
32-12.
El quinto
enfrentamiento provincial fue el 4 de setiembre ante Taranaki en el Rugby Park
de New Plymouth con victoria de 19-9 sobre la escuadra del célebre capitán el
flanker Graham Mourie.
La sexta
presentación fue el primer juego ante los All Blacks en Dunedin (profundo sur
de la isla sureña) un 8 de setiembre y con ajustado triunfo All Black por 18-9
ya que no hubo ensayos y todos los puntos fueron de patada con 1 penal y 2
drops de Porta.
Antes del
segundo test, los Pumas se despidieron de la isla sur el 11 de setiembre con
triunfo ante South Canterbury en el Fraser Park de Timarú por 23-13.
Mientras
que en el octavo y último partido del 18 de setiembre, llegó la primer derrota provincial
ante Counties, el campeón de la Ranfurly Shield (el campeonato de las uniones
provinciales) , que se impuso en el Pukekohe Stadium de Pukekohe por 18-11.
FIRST TIME ALL BLACKS-PUMAS AT WELLINGTON 1979
In 1979 there was an unprecedented program in argentinian rugby: , the Pumas traveled for the first time to the Antipodes, for a eight match´s tour in New Zealand between August and September , and Australia arrived in Argentina between October-November Tour for a 7 games with two test-matches against Pumas.
Argentina played two unofficial test in Dunedin and Wellington, against a "New Zealand XV", and not granted "status" in this period for a full test vs. New Zealand.
It was September 15, 1979 in the penultimate game of the tour, when the Pumas played for the first time at the "temple" of the "Athletic Park", in Wellington, the "wind city", the capital of New Zealand.
There, All Blacks beaten Pumas by 15-6 deploying a dynamic offensive game with flanker Murray Mexted and performed by their captain, the scrum half David Loveridge (scored the second try), and the vision of first-five-eight Eddie Dunn.
Argentina benefited from a front line of character with the Topo Rodríguez, Javier Pérez Cobo and Hugo Nicola, while in the third line with tackling’ s piecework of Tomás Petersen, Ernesto Ure and Héctor Silva. The fly-half Hugo Porta contributed with 6 points (2 penalties).
Lineup of Argentina: Sansot; Campo, Madero, Loffreda and Cappelletti; Porta (captain) and Soares Gache, Silva, Ure, and Petersen; Iachetti and Travaglini,. Nicola Perez and Rodriguez Cobo.
Lineup of New Zealand: Wilson, Ford, Cunningham, Keane and Fraser, Dunn and Loveridge (captain), Stewart, Burgoyne and Mexted,. Fleming and Stewart; Ashworth, Sloane and Thomson.
So Pumas received that baptism, as had happened a year before in Twickenham, where he managed the feat of 13-13 tie with England, christened "An England XV" without test status, however have England embroidered in white shirt the Rose of Lancaster.
In 1979 there was an unprecedented program in argentinian rugby: , the Pumas traveled for the first time to the Antipodes, for a eight match´s tour in New Zealand between August and September , and Australia arrived in Argentina between October-November Tour for a 7 games with two test-matches against Pumas.
Argentina played two unofficial test in Dunedin and Wellington, against a "New Zealand XV", and not granted "status" in this period for a full test vs. New Zealand.
It was September 15, 1979 in the penultimate game of the tour, when the Pumas played for the first time at the "temple" of the "Athletic Park", in Wellington, the "wind city", the capital of New Zealand.
There, All Blacks beaten Pumas by 15-6 deploying a dynamic offensive game with flanker Murray Mexted and performed by their captain, the scrum half David Loveridge (scored the second try), and the vision of first-five-eight Eddie Dunn.
Argentina benefited from a front line of character with the Topo Rodríguez, Javier Pérez Cobo and Hugo Nicola, while in the third line with tackling’ s piecework of Tomás Petersen, Ernesto Ure and Héctor Silva. The fly-half Hugo Porta contributed with 6 points (2 penalties).
Lineup of Argentina: Sansot; Campo, Madero, Loffreda and Cappelletti; Porta (captain) and Soares Gache, Silva, Ure, and Petersen; Iachetti and Travaglini,. Nicola Perez and Rodriguez Cobo.
Lineup of New Zealand: Wilson, Ford, Cunningham, Keane and Fraser, Dunn and Loveridge (captain), Stewart, Burgoyne and Mexted,. Fleming and Stewart; Ashworth, Sloane and Thomson.
So Pumas received that baptism, as had happened a year before in Twickenham, where he managed the feat of 13-13 tie with England, christened "An England XV" without test status, however have England embroidered in white shirt the Rose of Lancaster.
At 32 years of that landing, I remember the rain
under one debut August 22, 1979 in northeastern of New Zealand, Gisborne and won 26-3 to
provincial selection Poverty Bay. It was midwinter.
The second game was in Auckland, the largest city andon the cathedral "Eden Park" where the team won the Auckland provincial side by 18-13.
The third game was against Manawatu at the Showgrounds Oval, of Palmerston North, 29 August and won 21-10. The fourth was in Rotorua (the highest Maori concentration) and the Pumas won over Bay of Plenty by 32-12.
The fifth provincial showdown was on September 4 against Taranaki at Rugby Park in New Plymouth with a 19-9 victory over squad of celebrated captain, the flanker Graham Mourie.
The sixth presentation was the first game against the All Blacks at Dunedin on September 4and was All Black victory by 18-9 with all points were kicking with one penalty and two drops goal by Hugo Porta for Pumas side.
Before the second test, Argentina said goodbye to the South Island on September 11 win over South Canterbury at Timaru Fraser Park by 23-13.
While in the eighth and final game on September 18, came the first provincial defeat for Argentina against Counties, the champion of the NPC , winner at the Pukekohe Stadium by 18-11.
The second game was in Auckland, the largest city andon the cathedral "Eden Park" where the team won the Auckland provincial side by 18-13.
The third game was against Manawatu at the Showgrounds Oval, of Palmerston North, 29 August and won 21-10. The fourth was in Rotorua (the highest Maori concentration) and the Pumas won over Bay of Plenty by 32-12.
The fifth provincial showdown was on September 4 against Taranaki at Rugby Park in New Plymouth with a 19-9 victory over squad of celebrated captain, the flanker Graham Mourie.
The sixth presentation was the first game against the All Blacks at Dunedin on September 4and was All Black victory by 18-9 with all points were kicking with one penalty and two drops goal by Hugo Porta for Pumas side.
Before the second test, Argentina said goodbye to the South Island on September 11 win over South Canterbury at Timaru Fraser Park by 23-13.
While in the eighth and final game on September 18, came the first provincial defeat for Argentina against Counties, the champion of the NPC , winner at the Pukekohe Stadium by 18-11.