Pichot forced to play away from home

YOU sense, from talking to Augustin Pichot, Argentina’s long-haired pocket rocket, that he would like to be back home rather than playing for Bristol in the Zurich Premiership in England.

Of course, he would not say that. The Argentinean scrumhalf is earning good money and enjoying a good lifestyle. Not what he would expect at home at present as the economy continues to go into free fall.

Argentina’s team to take on Ireland at Lansdowne Road tomorrow, include 13 players currently playing their rugby overseas.

“In the ideal world, we would all be playing our rugby in Argentina,” says Pichot. “It is not the best scenario for us, but that is the way we have to play at this point in time.”

There is no real professional rugby in Argentina and Pichot, like many others, has gone abroad to make a

living. In his terms, life in England and the money that goes with it, is very good.

Yet, he is not a big fan of English rugby. “I enjoy myself there but I think Ireland has the most solid

structure of any of the teams this side of the world.

“For a small country, Ireland has done very well. The structure is there and the Irish teams have done well in the Heineken Cup. That type of success breeds success and it translates into the results they have enjoyed at international level.”

For Argentina to do the same, Pichot believes there would have to be a huge upheaval within the country. “From the 1800s, our country has been up and down, involved in turmoil at different levels. Our players are spread around the world because they are good and they need to be there.

“I could not point the blame at anyone in Argentinean rugby because that is the way the country is. We have had economic and political upheaval very often and it is hard for any sporting body to remain stable when that is happening.”

That is not to say that Pichot believes Argentina is underprivileged as a result. “If anything, it makes us stronger and bonds us closer together.”

Ireland has been beaten twice in succession by Argentina, most notably in the World Cup qualifier in Lens three years ago.

Pichot was there to celebrate a great victory and remembers the moment well.

“We set out in the second half having decided we would defend as if our lives depended on it. Then we ended up scoring a crucial try and defended even more.

“It was a great day for me and for Argentinean rugby but, you know, I felt that Ireland believed they had that game won. I think they learned a lot of lessons from that match. We thought, by their body language, that they were going through the motions and they made that mistake.

“I look at Ireland now, three years on, and they appear to be much more experienced. They don’t look like a team that would take anything for granted and I doubt if any team, even Australia, would take anything for granted against them.

“That win against Australia a couple of weeks ago was not about luck. It was about desire and a burning

ambition. We might not always beat the best but we always have that same desire.

“Now that Ireland have gone through a couple of bad days against us, I think they will be ready and waiting. I look forward to playing at Lansdowne Road but it will probably be the biggest and toughest Test match we have played this year.

“Against Australia we were at home, against Italy away, and that turned out to be relatively easy but tough. I can’t imagine Ireland, and the Lansdowne Road crowd, will give us much room to breathe.”