Rugby World Cup
Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade will not be involved with Super Rugby franchise
PA Sport
October 31, 2015
South Africa see off Pumas

Daniel Hourcade has suggested Argentina's best route to glory at World Cup 2019 will feature "a new face" as head coach.

Pumas boss Hourcade hopes to sign a two-year contract to keep coaching Argentina, following their fourth-place finish at World Cup 2015, but he has confirmed he will not coach Argentina's new Super Rugby franchise next season and suggested "maybe we could have a new face" in charge of the Test team in Japan.

"We haven't had any discussions about my future yet but if we reach an agreement it will be for two years," Hourcade said. "Then many things can happen in two years. There will be Super Rugby and we will be very involved. If after two years we're doing well and things are going well, fine; but one of our goals was to get more players, more coaches, have a strong structure. And once we get there, then maybe we could have a new face. "I think that would be fantastic, you need to have cycles."

Hourcade praised his Pumas after a hugely impressive campaign that ended in defeat by South Africa in the bronze final at London's Olympic Stadium.

Pumas stalwarts like Juan Martin Hernandez, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Marcos Ayerza have now played their last Test match rugby given that the Argentine Rugby Union will now select only players signed by the Super Rugby franchise.

Argentina 13-24 South Africa (Australia only)
%]

"Many of these players have already been selected for the Super Rugby side," Hourcade said. "Out of this team 24 or 25 of the players have already been signed. So most of the players will be there. Some of the players that stayed in Argentina will also be part of it. With regards to the coach there will be an announcement next week in Argentina, but I will not be the coach for Super Rugby. I'm the coach for the Pumas."

Argentina failed to build momentum after finishing third at the 2007 World Cup, but Hourcade insisted the Pumas face a very different scenario eight years on. He vowed the Pumas would not let their new opportunities pass them by despite a clutch of senior pros now exiting the Test arena.

© FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

"I don't think we're starting again, there's a continuity," Hourcade said. "Most of these players will be part of the franchise. Some players who didn't come to the World Cup will be replacing those who leave us. The players who leave us have been great, great players, needed in this and any other team. But we've been preparing for this, we've been anticipating this. One of our goals was to have a legacy.

"In 2007 there was a long transition after a lot of players retired. Some big players are retiring but this doesn't have to happen again. There will be a continuity and we'll keep on growing."

Fly-half Nicolas Sanchez is now in pole position to land the World Cup golden boot award, with 97 points across the tournament, and the former Toulon playmaker said that would be a nice bonus.

"Well if that was the case it would be very beautiful," Sanchez said. "But that's not something I was thinking about every single day. Each player was only thinking about the final. Then when we lost to Australia in the semi-final we wanted the bronze medal.

"The good thing about the team is no one thinks about themselves. They had the best attitude in training and that's what made us big."

© PA Sport

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.