Argentina evolution a template worth replicating

Played four, lost four.

A gruesome weekend for European rugby. You could say Northern Hemisphere rugby, but then it would be unfair to lump Japan in with the rest given they were the one team from this side of the equator to claim the scalp of one of the four semi-finalists thanks to their heroics last month.

This wasn’t supposed to happen, not in our own back yard.

Then again, the yard has changed. Pitches now are better than ever before. Gone are the days of muck-filled tracks and, with the weather playing ball this last month, the conditions have been mostly perfect for sides looking to play expansive rugby.

Joe Schmidt faced the inevitable question about the ongoing gap in standards between here and there after Ireland’s 23-point loss to Argentina yesterday and the Ireland coach, a Kiwi working in Europe this last nine years, was firm in his assertion that the “divide isn’t a chasm”.

He may have a semblance of a point.

England’s positioning in the pool of death with Wales and Australia made it likely that one of Europe’s finest would fall early, both Ireland and Wales fell foul of injuries, while Scotland’s showing against Australia yesterday was another step forward for an improving side.

The French? Well, let’s not go there.

The evidence, however, is impossible to ignore. Watching Argentina sweep the ball out wide time and again, and make countless yards doing it, against Ireland was a jaw-dropping sight. We had seen it before, but only by those in gold, black or Bok jerseys.

This was Argentina, a side wedded to grunt and grind until three years ago.

“For us the growth has been enormous since 2012,” said their head coach Daniel Hourcade. “We started changing and building. It’s not something that has just started (then) though. It goes a long way back. You need time and to work on it.

“We were doing it before, but it became even more important in that moment. Playing against the best on a yearly basis (in the Rugby Championship) demands a level of perfection and it makes you get used to it. This kind of game becomes normal and we love it.

“Being part of the Rugby Championship, and Super Rugby next year, means that the future of Argentinian rugby is fantastic as well.”

There is hope in that. If Argentina can turn their culture upside down in three years then there should be no reason why Ireland or France could not do something similar. Of course, if it were that simple, then this weekend would have been very different.

Graham Henry, who coached New Zealand to the Webb Ellis in 2011 and who was the consultant who played a large part in the Pumas adopting the new style in recent years, has often spoken about the problems with other countries simply aping the All Blacks.

Marcos Ayerza, the Pumas prop, has a similar way of thinking.

“The mix of styles, the clash of styles, is what makes these World Cups so great,” said the Leicester front row. “Sometimes southern hemisphere rugby can be very good. It can be expansive, but not clinical enough. Others times it can be incisive and clinical and you can score 40 points, like today.

“There is no perfect style or perfect way of playing the game and that is what makes it so special. North or south, every country has its own identity. Ireland are passionate and combative and they have a great game plan with some great individuals in their squad.

“They showed that last week against France and at times today they were very good. I don’t think the southern hemisphere has a style that everyone has to follow. Like I said, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

Whatever the root cause and the possible solutions, the evidence is impossible to ignore. The Europeans play rugby, the Kiwis and the Wallabies like to call it footy.

Even in that little detail, there is much to learn.