Compiled by Gerry Thornley
French connection
Today being 100 days before their World Cup opener against the hosts France, Marcelo Loffreda's preparations have been hindered by the presence of a dozen Argentinians in the French Championship semi-finals. Unsurprisingly the Biarritz trio of Marcelo Bosch, Manuel Carizza and Martin Gaitan have been kept back for the first of those semi-finals against Stade Francais on Friday evening.
This also precludes the Stade half-dozen of Agustin Pichot, Juan Martinez Fernandez, Rodrigo Roncero, Lucas Borges, Ignacio Corleto and Leinster-bound Juan Gomez from playing against Ireland, as well as Patricio Albacete and Omar Hasan of Toulouse, and Mario Ledesma and Martin Scelzo of Clermont Auvergne.
Perpignan lock Rimas Alvarez and Hindu duo Juan de la Cruz Fernandez Miranda and Hernan Senillosa have been restored in the absence of the Biarritz trio, while allowing for Felipe Contepomi's return to Dublin, the squad has been strengthened significantly by the return of Bayonne scrumhalf Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, Agen prop Eusebio Guinazu, Montauban prop Pablo Henn, and Montpellier utility Federico Todeschini, while Rovigo back Manuel Contepomi and Leeds flanker Martin Schusterman also returned to the squad.
ARGENTINA (revised squad):Hernan Agulla, Fernandez Miranda, Senillosa (all Hindu), M Ayerza (Leicester), Schusterman, Bouza (both Leeds Tykes), M Contepomi (Rovigo), T de Vedia (Saracens), M Durand, F Todeschini (both Montpellier), J Fernandez Lobbe (Sale), N Fernandez Miranda (Aviron Bayonnais Rugby), E Lozada, P Gambarini (both CASI), S Gonzalez (Capitolina), E Guinazu (Agen), P Henn (Montauban), J Manuel Leguizamon (London Irish), F Leonelli (Glasgow Warriors), F Serra (SIC), N Vergallo (Jockey Club Rosario), R Alvarez (Perpignan).
Warm memories
The Irish squad returned to Buenos Aires (estimated population 12 million) with fond memories of the the friendliness shown them on the streets of Santa Fe (population 525,000).
They mingled, signed autographs and posed for photographs along the pedestrianised shopping street of Avenue San Martin, although the poor kids who are begging with their hands outstretched would, as Neil Best put it, "break your heart".
Lost for words
Mastery of the lingo amongst the gringos in the Irish squad (and the travelling media) has been, eh, limited. Those in the squad who claim to have some Spanish include Jerry Flannery and Trevor Hogan, further to a course in the language two years ago (though his team-mates doubt Flannery's credentials), and Mick O'Driscoll, who picked up a smattering of words during his two years with Perpignan.
Rumour has it Brian Carney does as well, although heretofore the media corps have been struggling to extract much English from him. Apparently he was burned badly in his league days either in England or Australia, and hence had kept a head-down and somewhat cryptic approach to media obligations thus far. Maybe he was waiting until he had his debut out of the way, and was more animated in the aftermath of Saturday's Test. Heretofore, requests from sports desks for feature-length pieces on Ireland's new union convert have not gone down well.
On the left wing
These are hardly The Motorcycle Diariesby Ernesto "Che" Guevara, nor do they claim to be. For what it's worth, the one player in the Irish squad sure to have read them, and all of Che's works, is Trevor Hogan, although there are a few other enlightened lefties in the squad, such as Kieran Lewis. Neil Best and Isaac Boss appear intent on doing a passable imitation of Che, and could pass for two of the locals but for the Irish clobber. Guevara, a doctor, polemicist and revolutionary, was also a keen rugby player in his younger days, despite suffering from asthma.
