How rugby union is 'booming' in football-mad Argentina

How rugby union is 'booming' in football-mad ArgentinaTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFigure caption, Nations Championship highlights: Argentina 35-21 WalesByAlastair TelferBBC Sport journalistPublished16 July 2026Updated 6 minutes agoAn inspired Lionel Messi was instrumental in in defeating England and help Argentina reach back-to-back World Cup finals.The Pumas, who host England this week, have also delivered regularly at Rugby World Cups, reaching three semi-finals over the past five tournaments.Head coach Felipe Contepomi played in the 2007 World Cup when Argentina reached the final four for the first time – a run that included wins over France, Ireland and Scotland.That success, followed by semi-final appearances in 2015 and 2023, helped increase rugby's popularity in a country dominated by football and Messi mania."Amateur rugby here in Argentina is booming," Contepomi told BBC Sport."It's very community-based rugby and the clubs are growing. We have more and more people every year."It is not comparable with football because I always say rugby is a sport, football is a religion for an Argentinian."The dimension is completely different. Even myself, I live for rugby, but football is still in my skin."Argentina v EnglandNations ChampionshipSaturday 18 July, 20:10 BST kick-offEstadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del EsteroListen on SoundsLive on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app, with accompanying live text commentaryHistorically, most of Argentina's internationals have come through private schools in the country's rugby heartlands.Buenos Aires, where Contepomi and captain Julian Montoya were born, remains the biggest rugby hub, while Tucuman - not far from Saturday's venue in Santiago del Estero – is the only place where, according to Contepomi, "rugby is bigger than football"."The good thing is t...