Maori a tough call for Pumas

By CHRIS RATTUE

The Argentine side look ripe for the picking when they take on New Zealand Maori in Rotorua tonight.

Coach Marcelo Loffreda has named a side only slightly stronger than the one which struggled against second-division battlers Thames Valley.

Of the starting team who crashed against the All Blacks, only captain Lisandro Arbizu, No 8 Gonzalo Longo and lock Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe will initially take the field at the International Stadium tonight in the visitors' last tour match.

Assistant coach Daniel Baetti said the squad were disappointed with their showing in the test, but believed they could have shown something closer to their true colours had they had a second match against the All Blacks.

But he was confident that tonight's side could quickly find the spirit to test a Maori team he believed was close to All Blacks strength.

"We know that Argentina is not in the top group of world rugby. It is difficult in Argentina, the country is struggling and there is not a lot of money, and we don't have something like the Super 12."

Some players did not have jobs. It was not an excuse, "just a reality."

"Our players need better training and our game needs better structures. But we are trying."

They had expected to turn in a better performance against the All Blacks than they did.

"Our first line of defence, in particular, wasn't very good," Baetti said. "We wish we could have had a second test. You can learn a lot in a week. We would have put on a better showing."

It would be difficult to play a team as strong as the Maori a couple of days after the test, but morale was high, he said.

The course of tonight's match will undoubtedly depend heavily on whether the Argentines can find some early spirit, and how quickly players such as test halves Agustin Pichot and Felipe Contepomi, and frontrowers Omar Hasan and Federico Mendez, are introduced from the bench.

Apart from scrums and mauls, the second team struggled in all departments against a Thames Valley side who won just once in the NPC second division last season.

In the end, Argentine muscle held sway up front, but they took poor options on attack and offered very little threat out wide at Paeroa.

The Maori, meanwhile, have players who will be bursting to make an impression on the All Black selectors going into the main part of the test season.

No 8 and captain Deon Muir will be among those who must feel that strong performances will get them close to test selection if injuries or lack of performance create gaps in the test squad.

New Zealand Maori: Carlos Spencer, Roger Randle, Caleb Ralph, Daryl Gibson, Bruce Reihana, Glen Jackson, Rhys Duggan; Deon Muir (capt), Matua Parkinson, Hare Makiri, Reece Robinson, Paul Tito, Deacon Manu, Norm Hewitt, Greg Feek. Reserves: Rico Gear, David Hill, Brendan Haami, Blair Urlich, Kristian Ormsby, Paul Thomson, Slade McFarland.

Argentina: Federico Serra, Jose Nunez Piossek, Eduardo Simone, Lisandro Arbizu (capt), Facundo Soler, Gonzalo Quesada, Nicolas Fernandez Miranda; Gonzalo Longo, Lucas Ostiglia, Martin Durand, Mariano Sambucetti, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Mauricio Reggiardo, Mario Ledesma, Leopoldo De Chazal. Reserves: Gonzalo Camardon, Felipe Contepomi, Agustin Pichot, Rimas Alvarez, Alfonso Amuchastegui, Omar Hasan, Federico Mendez.

Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia).

Kickoff: 7.35 pm.