Pumas fever

The Pumas' outstanding performance in the World Cup has won Argentina over. People are talking about how well they play, the fact that they never -ever- give up, and the pride that every player shows at all times. One recurring comment is about the way the players sing the National Anthem before every game. We are used to see people singing the "Oíd Mortales" looking down, as if they were embarrassed; so to see these huge men singing at the top of their hearts is -at least- refreshing (even if I'm not exactly a fan of singing national anthems before a sports event).

Newspapers are dedicating a good portion of their sports pages to rugby, and some even have a section with FAQ and "Rugby for beginners" areas, like La Nación. There are TVs at the subway stations in Buenos Aires, and they show rugby, teaching the passengers the rules of the game.

Longo celebrates his try against Scotland

The most important sign of how important this has suddenly become happened today. River Plate was playing against Boca Juniors for the domestic soccer league. Now this is 'the' game of the year, the one that everybody will talk about for weeks. Well, they pushed the time forward and played at 2:00PM on a Sunday (inconceivable!) so people would have time to come back home to watch the Pumas. This is so huge that even newspapers in Europe reflected the news, like The Daily Mail.

Rugby has always been seen as a sports for the higher social classes in Argentina. This Pumas are turning this into a popular sport. Give the Pumas a spot in the Pacific Nations Tournament pronto, IRB! I know it wouldn't be a 'Pacific Nations' thing anymore, but the Pumas deserve their spot.

Los Pumas celebrate their victory against Scotland

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