12 on rugby business. “It hadn’t been
an easy decision to come back to my
country, but I felt after so many years
learning from great people I was ready.
“It has been non-stop rugby and
I can’t thank my family enough for their
support. My wife and children have been
unbelievable in allowing me to pursue
my dreams, as a player and as a coach.”
Throughout all his experiences across
the world, Ledesma has never stopped
learning, particularly from the top-quality
coaches he’s worked with.
Amongst the names he mentions
during the almost two-hour-long
conversation with Rugby World
are Cheika, of course, Vern
Cotter, Mick Byrne (“an
encyclopedia, one of the
people I learnt most
from”) and Alex
Wyllie. “They all
taught me a lot;
I was lucky to
learn from such
great coaches and
people. I was a sponge.”
He’s also drawn on different
coaching styles in different
cultures to find his own, with his
time in Australia particularly crucial
to becoming the coach he is now.
“In France it is all about winning today.
Planning is short term as the pressure
is constant. I learnt a lot but it is an
unhealthy scene. When I moved to
Australia I understood that you need
planning, a strategical approach to a
season, setting common goals and a
team culture that will help you in the
long run achieve your objectives.”
Hence why something of a revolution
is happening across all of Argentine
rugby, with academies now back on the
agenda. Ledesma and his assistants
have also travelled to most regions in
the country sharing their rugby gospel.
The more immediate focus, however,
is the shortened Rugby Championship
and preparing for the World Cup. Japan
is a country he has only visited once,
in 1998 when he captained los
Pumas on an ill-fated tour and
they lost the Test in Tokyo
44-29. “I was asked at the
airport as the captain
decided there and
then he would
not travel!”
For this trip,
his goal is clear.
“I want my team to
fly the flag for doing
things the right
way in a country
(Argentina) in
which, culturally,
short cuts are
part of the
process. I don’t
want my
coaching to be
results-driven but
process-driven.”Argentina5
PUMAS
TO WATCHMAYCO VIVAS
The 21-year-old has
been a fast learner and
belies the old adage
that props reach their
peak when they’re older. A Pumita
last year, he is in line to make a big
impact at his first World Cup.MARCOS KREMER
Big, strong, hard-hitting.
When they do the
highlights reel of this
year’s World Cup, there
is sure to be a number of hits from
21-year-old flanker Kremer.EMILIANO BOFFELLI
Having just missed
RWC 2015, Boffelli now
has plenty of Test rugby
under his belt and is an
asset to los Pumas at full-back or
wing. And the 24-year-old can kick
goals from beyond the halfway line. JULIÁN MONTOYA
Understudy to veteran
Agustín Creevy, with
only four starts in his 51
caps. Yet the hooker, 25,
would walk into several other Test
sides. His work ethic and physicality
ensure his presence is well noted.BAUTISTA DELGUY
Fit after an ankle injury
forced him to miss
most of Super Rugby,
the 22-year-old could
terrorise defences in Japan. So
much so that Santiago Cordero and
Juan Imhoff haven’t been selected.FACT FILE
Age 46 (17 May 1973)
Born Buenos Aires
Current role
Argentina head coach
Position Hooker
Argentinacaps 84
Points 15 (3T)Obviously, once you reach the big
stage, winning is crucial. France and
England are the big blocks that could
stop his team reaching the last eight for
the fourth straight tournament. “France
need to get better very quickly but they
seem to click when they are in a World
Cup, so you can’t underestimate them.
And England are very well coached.
“If all our processes work, the big
impact will be felt in the next two, three
years. The goal, of course, is to qualify,
at least, for the quarter-finals.”
Ledesma has a bronze medal from
RWC 2007 and a silver from RWC 2015.
Now he’s putting the processes in place
to try to add to his collection. nPumas power
Pablo Matera on the
attack against Australia