As in 2007, Juan Martín Hernández rocks up to a World Cup and struts around the pitch looking like a contender for the World Player of the Year again. Clearly, like all his team-mates, he loves playing for Los Pumas and the World Cup brings out the best in him.
Ridiculously talented and far too cool altogether, he may be 33 and a centre now rather than the 25-year-old director of traffic he was in ‘07, but all the old swagger is back. Against New Zealand in their opening match in Wembley, there was a trademark one-handed pass behind his back to help launch a counter-attack. This is a sign of his well-being.
After shaking hands with the English speaking journalists in their Vale of Glamorgan base, Hernández sat back contentedly and said: “This World Cup is awesome and I’m very excited because the level is very high. All the teams are giving their all, so it’s the perfect World Cup to be part of. I’m very happy to be here.”
“I think it’s the biggest event for a rugby player. Unfortunately I missed the last World Cup, I was injured. But I’ve prepared really well for this World Cup now and I’m looking forward to giving my all on Sunday, to help my team to win. Mentally I’m feeling really good.”
In 2007, Hernández was a surprise choice at outhalf in their opening game, but became one of the stars of the tournament, reviving the Garryowen as a weapon of choice. He was Ireland's tormentor in chief when Argentina won the final pool game in the Parc des Princes by 30-15, when kicking three drop goals.
Expansive strategy
He missed the 2011 tournament due to a cruciate ligament injury in his left knee. Now, at centre, Hernández is part of an altogether more expansive running strategy.
“I’ve been in this team for a while and we never played like this before, with this style. There’s not much volume before, just pressure, tackling and kicking, occupation. Nowadays we love to keep the ball in hands, running with the ball instead of kicking.”
It’s also hard to argue with him when he says: “I think I can adapt. When I had to kick, I kicked a lot. When I have to run, I want to play. Now I’m playing a different position so I have to adapt again.”
The Argentinian forwards have the skills to readily interlink with Hernández and co, and are happy there is less emphasis on the grinding, forward game of yore. “Of course, because our forwards are different now,” he says with a smile. “They’re not big, heavy forwards that we used to have, they can move quickly from one place to another. But these are all words, we have to do it on Sunday.”
He describes the Argentina-Ireland games as “like a derby”, adding: “It’s special because of the past. It will be a very, very special game. It’s the quarter-finals again. We’ve met before at World Cups. In 1999 we moved through to the quarter-finals, 2003 the opposite then 2007 was for us. So I hope this time is for us again.”
Bitter edge
In truth the bitter edge to the rivalry in ’03 (when he was on the bench) and ’07 has been diluted with the retirement of so many chief protagonists, such as
Felipe Contepomi
and Ronan O’Gara, whom Hernández saw in a different light as a coach at Racing Metro.
“It’s a very good relationship, an awesome relationship. Before when I used to play against him, you don’t hate anyone in rugby, but he was someone you wouldn’t like! But I was lucky enough to have him to coach me for one year at Racing, and I discovered a good person. All of us know what a great player he was, but I know him more now, and have a great relationship with him.”
As for his one-time Racing team-mate, Johnny Sexton, Hernández says respectfully: "I think he's the most important player. He's the one that has the tempo of the team, when they run, when they play, when they kick, everything. I think he's key to their detail.
“He’s a player,” Hernandez concludes, nodding with evident respect for his former team-mate, peer and, perhaps, opponent again.
