Pumas coach given extension

Updated December 22, 2011 13:25:03

Argentina coach Santiago 'Tati' Phelan, who steered the Pumas to the 2011 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, has been handed a new two-year contract.

After a third place finish at the 2007 World Cup in France, the South Americans went out in the quarter-finals to hosts and eventual champions New Zealand earlier this year.

"Tati's appointment as trainer confirms our interest in ratifying his tenure, which was extremely satisfactory from various points of view," Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) president Luis Castillo said.

"Now is the time to continue working to improve day by day and face a new calendar with a lot of activity."

Ranked seventh in the world, they will make their debut in a major annual competition next year when they take part in the new southern hemisphere championship with Australia, New Zealand and South Africa which is replacing the Tri-Nations.

Never before have they faced a year with 12 test matches, having had to sit by and watch the Tri-Nations and Six Nations from afar and make do with only six matches, three in each of the year's two test windows.

Fellow former Pumas Fabian Turnes, Mauricio Reggiardo and Marti Gaitan will continue as Phelan's coaching staff.

Daniel Hourcade was confirmed as coach of the Pampas XV, a reserve side that won South Africa's Vodacom Cup this year.

Reuters

Tags: rugby-union, sport, argentina

First posted December 22, 2011 13:25:03

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O'Connor given more time to rest

Posted May 30, 2011 19:46:00

Western Force have decided against calling in the reinforcements for the second leg of their New Zealand tour, giving James O'Connor and company extra time to recover ahead of Saturday week's Super Rugby clash with Queensland.

O'Connor (neck/shoulder), half-back Brett Sheehan (leg), fly half Willie Ripia (calf) and Gene Fairbanks (leg) will miss Friday night's match with the Highlanders in Dunedin, leaving the Force to again field a threadbare backline.

Half-back James Stannard is set to fill in at fly half again, while Mark Swanepoel will play at nine for just his third cap.

They combined brilliantly in last week's 34-28 loss to the Hurricanes, and Force coach Richard Graham says there is little to benefit from recalling any players, who still had question marks over their fitness.

"I'm not bringing any of the (injured) boys over," Graham said.

"All of them are there thereabouts in terms of fitness but by the time they get over here they would only get to train with us at the captain's run.

"If you bring one or two in that would compromise the whole squad.

"Definitely they will all be fit and come back in contention for our game against the Reds on June 11.

"It's important to reward the group for their performance (against the Hurricanes), albeit we didn't get the result we were after."

The Force conceded two tries in the final 10 minutes against the Hurricanes to slump to their eighth loss of the season, a lapse that did not escape the attention of Graham.

"That's nine out of 13 that we've led at the 65th minute mark," Graham said.

"That (closing out games better) is something that we've tried to address."

- AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, perth-6000

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