Real men do cry, says Pumas coach Ledesma
RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT
VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCES WITH ARGENTINA COACH, MARIO LEDESMA AND AUSTRALIA COACH, DAVE RENNIE, AUSTRALIA TRAINING
SHOWS:
SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA (NOVEMBER 19, 2020) (UAR - NO RESALES)
1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARGENTINA COACH, MARIO LEDESMA, SAYING:
"The emotions are sometimes difficult to control, especially with all the things that we've been through and stuff. I'm sorry if he was in any way, I don't know, angry about it, but I think that, again, emotions are a good thing - he should try it."
2. WHITE FLASH
3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARGENTINA COACH, MARIO LEDESMA, SAYING:
"I think that we are like we are and we don't want to change and I think emotions are a very good thing. And passion is a very good thing. But I thought there was a lot of control too in the way that we played, there was a lot of discipline too. And that's the way we should be playing. I think that we should be ambidextrous like we shouldn't be one way or the other. We should complement and elevate one with the other."
HUNTER VALLEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA (NOVEMBER 19, 2020) (RUGBY AUSTRALIA - NO RESALES)
4. AUSTRALIA COACH, DAVE RENNIE (BLUE BIB) WATCHING ON DURING TRAINING SESSION
5. AUSTRALIA CAPTAIN, MICHAEL HOOPER (CLOSEST TO CAMERA) WALKING ON PITCH ALONGSIDE TEAM MATES
6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIA COACH, DAVE RENNIE, SAYING:
"Yes, look it's massive for a lot of reasons. There's been a lot of learnings. I guess I've been saying all along, we're going to get better. The boys are working hard and we saw evidence of that last test and we need to take another step up now. I'm well aware of how good Argentina were last week and... but, you know, look it's a chance for us to show that we are developing and getting better and a win would put us in a pretty strong position."
7. AUSTRALIA PROP, SCOTT SIO (NUMBER 17) WALKING ON TO TRAINING PITCH
8. RENNIE WATCHING ON AND TALKING TO PLAYER
9. SIO TAKING PART IN TRAINING SESSION WITH TEAM MATES
10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIA COACH, DAVE RENNIE, SAYING:
"Yes, obviously disappointing for Slipps (Australia prop James Slipper). Obviously his 100th game last time and he's been outstanding. He's a really good defender. Obviously scrummages well and a strong leader. So, we'll miss him but we left Scotty (Scott Sio) out and the reason was we felt he lacked impact when he was coming into the game and we wanted more out of him and ironically we leave him out and that week his training was superb and he did everything we've been asking of him and he's trained well again in the past week. So, he gives us experience and obviously, Belly (Angus Bell) was very good off the bench and he's a very good athlete so we're looking forward to seeing him get on at some stage."
11. VARIOUS OF AUSTRALIA TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS
STORY: Pumas coach Mario Ledesma was unapologetic for the tears he and his team shed after their maiden victory over the All Blacks last weekend and said that emotion was an integral part of the makeup of the Argentina team.
The Pumas stunned the rugby world with their 25-15 victory over New Zealand in their first test for more than a year last week in Sydney and there was a huge outpouring of emotion on the pitch afterwards.
That, along with tears shed by Dustin Johnson after winning golf's Masters and Lewis Hamilton after securing the Formula One world title at the weekend, irked one veteran commentator in New Zealand, who called on modern sportsmen to "harden up".
"Emotions are sometimes difficult to control, especially after everything we have been through," Ledesma said on Thursday after naming his team for Saturday's Tri-Nations test against Australia in Newcastle.
"I'm sorry if in any way he was angry about it, but I think emotions are a good thing - he should try it."
Ledesma, a former hooker who proved his physical toughness in 84 tests for the Pumas, said after last weekend's match that his players had been through "hell" in the months leading up to the All Blacks match.
They trained as best they could at home through the lockdown, then were forced to abandon one training camp in Argentina after a string of COVID-19 cases before requiring two weeks of quarantine on their arrival in Australia.
Matters were not helped by the economic crisis in Argentina nor by the uncertainty of the playing future for many in the squad after the Jaguares Super Rugby team was effectively shut down.
While that contributed to the way the Pumas celebrated their victory last week, Ledesma said emotion was also part of what made Argentine rugby different.
"I think we are like we are and we don't want to change, I think emotions and passions are a very good thing," he added.
"I thought there was a lot of control and discipline too in the way we played, and that's the way we should be playing."
Ledesma has kept faith with the players who beat the All Blacks for Saturday's match against the Wallabies at Hunter Stadium, and restricted himself to bringing hooker Santiago Socino, loose forward Facundo Isa and outside back Emiliano Boffelli onto the bench.
Meanwhile, Australia coach Dave Rennie has shuffled his front row forwards but left the starting side largely intact as the Wallabies seek a Tri-Nations victory over high-flying Argentina and back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
Rennie has brought in experienced prop Scott Sio to replace injured loosehead James Slipper while promoting tighthead Taniela Tupou from the bench in place of Allan Alaalatoa for Saturday's match.
Ned Hanigan, who replaces the suspended Lachie Swinton at blindside flanker, is the only other change to the starting 15 that celebrated a 24-22 win over the All Blacks in Brisbane this month, Rennie's first victory in charge of the Wallabies.
Sio was omitted from Brisbane but beats out young prop Angus Bell, who remains on the bench after a solid test debut at Lang Park.
With James O'Connor still sidelined, utility back Reece Hodge has been rewarded with another start at flyhalf in an unchanged backline following his key role in the Wallabies' win in Brisbane.
Rennie has made a couple of changes on the bench, with Rob Valetini included as cover for the second and back rows, and Jake Gordon recalled as backup scrumhalf for Nic White.
(Production: Tim Hart)
