With a performance to place among the most glorious pages of Argentine rugby, Los Pumas 7’s won the first gold medal of the Sevens season in the Vancouver Tournament on Sunday night by defeating Fiji 29-10 in the final. Thus they added another milestone to their career, after the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The national team, technically led by Santiago Gómez Cora, beat the double Olympic champion with two tries from Marcos Moneta, another two from Felipe del Mestre and one from Santiago Vera Feld. Kaminieli Rasaku, seconds into the match, and Jerry Tuwai scored the two Fijian tries. In addition to the try scorers, Germán Schulz, Rodrigo Isgro, Lautaro Bazán Vélez and Tobías Wade were starters in the final.
To reach the final, the Pumas 7 had defeated England 40-17 and Australia 24-12 on the same day, always with Moneta among the most outstanding. On the first day, the Argentine team had some shocks, since they drew 12-12 with France, beat Scotland 24-5 and defeated Ireland 26-19.
“Since 2009 we haven’t won. Very proud of the team and the people who have been fighting for this for many years. It is a source of pride for us and for all Argentines,” said Moneta, who emerged from the San Andrés club, with the medal of gold around his neck through the Worldrugby.es site.
With the victory on Canadian soil, the Argentine team, which had been having a season with very good performances, moved up one place in the general classification and came second, behind the leader South Africa, who finished fifth in Vancouver.
In the season, the Pumas had obtained three bronze medals and one silver in the Seven in Malaga, but fell in the final against South Africa and had to settle for second place on the podium.
The next date of the World Rugby Seven Series will be played in the French city of Toulouse.
