DUBLIN :Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi knew just how special and potentially unique Friday’s victory over the British and Irish Lions was, having gone agonisingly close as a player two decades ago.
Contepomi was captain when the sides last met before the Lions’ 2005 tour of New Zealand, when the Pumas were a Johnny Wilkinson stoppage time penalty away from a first ever victory in the fixture.
That game ended in a 25-25 draw, and Friday’s contest was just Argentina’s second shot at the Lions in almost a century.
Their first six meetings were played during tours of Argentina when the Lions did not limit their itinerary to New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. Contepomi said they could not be sure when they would get the opportunity again.
“It’s kind of a one-off. It’s an invitation game and the last time, it was 20 years ago, and we were just there and we couldn’t beat them,” Contepomi told a press conference.
“Coming here 20 years later I think it’s incredible. We don’t know if we’ll ever again be invited or not to play and definitely for everyone who’s been involved this week it will be memorable.”
“It is special. I know how special it is for an Irish, a Scottish, a Welsh or an English player to be a Lion, and for us to play against the best of the best in these islands, it’s nearly a dream.”
The former Argentina flyhalf, who knows British and Irish rugby well, having spent six seasons with Leinster and worked as a doctor during his time in Ireland, said he expected Australia to face a far more ferocious set of Lions next month.
“We took a bit of an opportunity because I know they’ll be much better in one month’s time when they play Australia. They’ll be an awesome team, because they have so much quality in there,” he said.
