Dubai: Argentina are looking to add the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens cup to their collection after having already won the bowl and plate in the past two editions of the tournament.
The Pumas won their opening two group games against Brazil 17-5 and France 26-21 on Friday, to set themselves up for a guaranteed place in Saturday’s cup quarter-final.
Coach Santiago Gomez Cora said their chances of completing a Dubai hat-trick had been bolstered this year by the arrival of more 15s players, as the Argentinian rugby union go in search of a top-four finish in the Sevens World Series to qualify for rugby’s Olympic debut in 2016.
“In previous years we couldn’t take from the first 100 15s players but this year the politics is different and we can choose from 15s players outside the top 20,” said Cora.
“We didn’t have a good position in the past, but now with the Olympics this is a priority and the 15s coach will have to share players with the sevens team. It’s very good for the team, because the only way to improve is to have the best players you can have.”
Argentina lost the plate final to New Zealand in round one of the current nine-stage series at the Gold Coast in Australia in October, but will now be looking to go all the way in round two in Dubai on Saturday.
“This is our target,” added Cora. “We are a developing team and if we want to get better we need to start getting results. We did well in the Gold Coast and now we have to continue.
“It would be a dream to play in the Olympics, teams have started to make a lot of policies to be involved,” he added. “When they decided to put sevens in the Olympics it was amazing news. Obviously I would have preferred to get there as a player but as a coach would be the next best thing.”
Cora said he hoped Dubai’s most famous Argentinian resident, footballing legend Diego Maradona, who lifted the World Cup for his country in 1986 and now works as an ambassador for Dubai Sports Council, would come and cheer them on.
“We want to meet him, he’s our idol,” he said. “The players are always asking where he is, but it’s a big city and I don’t know how to get in contact with him. He probably doesn’t even know we are here.”
