Pablo Matera

Pablo Matera is the most recognisable Argentine forward of the professional era and the one who did most to change how the Pumas were perceived.

He plays the back row at a level of intensity that borders on unreasonable: relentless in the tackle, willing to carry into the heaviest traffic available, and visibly furious about the whole thing for eighty minutes. Argentina’s win over New Zealand in 2020 was, more than any single result, his.

The career has taken him to Europe and then to Super Rugby, which is an unusual direction of travel and speaks to a player still trying to test himself somewhere harder.

The captaincy years were not uncomplicated, and he has spoken about them with more honesty than most players manage.

Past a hundred and twenty-five caps and into his thirties, he remains the emotional reference point of the side. When Argentina play with an edge, it usually starts near him.