Los Pumas, ranked fifth in the latest World Rugby rankings, will be aiming to go as far as possible and compete on equal terms with the sport’s leading nations in the Nations Championship, which gets underway on Saturday.
Argentina, the only South American side in the 12-team tournament featuring the world’s top rugby nations – six from the Northern Hemisphere and six from the Southern Hemisphere – will open their campaign against Scotland in Córdoba on Saturday.
After two seasons of rebuilding, experimentation and significant squad renewal, head coach Felipe Contepomi will have a valuable run of matches in which to begin establishing a settled side ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, the team’s primary long-term objective.
“We have a clear objective, which is to improve match by match and pick up where we left off seven months ago. Building on what we achieved is our biggest challenge. We’re really looking forward to getting started again. Beginning a new campaign brings excitement and optimism,” Contepomi said.
Los Pumas have not played since November 2025.
The Argentina players also appear enthusiastic about the new competition. Veteran back-row forward Pablo Matera said World Rugby had “taken far too long to find the right format so teams could genuinely compete for something.”
“I hope it keeps growing. If there has to be promotion and relegation, then let there be promotion and relegation. That would create even more pressure,” he told La Nación.
“I like it. I’m really excited about this new structure. There are fewer matches, but every game feels incredibly important, especially with the new tournament points system.”
Debut without several key players
For the opening match, Contepomi has opted to rest players involved in the recent French Top 14 final between Toulouse and Montpellier. As a result, Santiago Chocobares, Efraín Elías, Justo Piccardo and Domingo Miotti will not be available.
The squad also includes several new faces, including former Sevens player Agustín Fraga, as well as back-row forward Juan Penoucos, fly-half Nicolás Roger, centre Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, full-back Mateo Soler and lock Luciano Asevedo, the latter group all arriving from the Super Rugby Americas competition.
After hosting Scotland in Córdoba on Saturday, Los Pumas will remain at home to face Wales in San Juan the following Saturday before taking on England in Santiago del Estero on July 18.
During the November international window, Argentina will travel to face France, Italy and Ireland.
“Scotland are a team whose style of play I really admire,” Contepomi said. “To get the result we want, they’ll demand the very best from us because of the way they approach the game. We’re expecting an open, high-intensity match. It’s going to be tough.”
Last November, Scotland suffered a painful 33-24 defeat to Los Pumas at Murrayfield Stadium after squandering a 21-0 lead, as Argentina produced one of the most remarkable comebacks in the team’s history.
