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'Disrespected' - Mario Ledesma lashes out over photo

Mario Ledesma /Getty

Pumas’ head coach Mario Ledesma has lashed out after he alleged that Argentina were snubbed in an official Rugby Championship captains’ photo opportunity.

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Argentina fell to a 27-8 defeat at the hands of the Wallabies at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, but it wasn’t just the loss that irked Ledesma.

This week Ardie Savea, Michael Hooper and Siya Kolisi were all gathered for a photo opportunity with the Rugby Championship trophy, but Ledesma claims the Puma’s were effectively snubbed by organisers.

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“I just want to make a point about what happened this week with the captain’s photo,” Ledesma told press after the game. “The boys and the staff, we felt really disrespected.”

“Last week it [the photo] was supposed to happen but it didn’t happen because one team pulled out once, and the other team pulled out the other time. And then when it was our time we couldn’t make it, we were told they weren’t supposed to take the picture, and then there was the picture and the video.

“We’re not asking for much; last year when South Africa pulled out we came over here, went through strict lockdown, we were away from home three or four months.

“We’re the only team who hasn’t played at home for more than two years; South Africa played at home, obviously you guys [Australia] are playing at home and New Zealand played at home. And we’re always travelling, we never complained and we feel sometimes that we’re getting treated with disrespect and we just continue and cop it on the chin.

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“I don’t know if it was Rugby Australia, SANZAAR or whatever, but it’s just disrespectful and it hurts a lot because we have families and we have kids that we haven’t seen for ages now, and in a couple of weeks’ time we’ll be out of houses again.

“And the only thing we’re asking is to get treated fairly and with respect and obviously in this case it wasn’t that way. And I don’t think it was too hard to move that and respect us as a team, as a nation; rugby has values, I’m sure of it, and they weren’t respected here.”

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H
Hellhound 56 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Actually you need to read my responses properly. The response on which you responded is actually aimed at CO, another responder. Go read my original response on Ben Smith's BS. He is a bloody joke, a wannabe. And so is any of that losers followers. If you talk crap all the time it try to clickbait like BS, then don't expect people to respect him.


Most people (not you of course) will never take him serious. We all see him exactly for who and what he is. Talking about victories for the French in 2017 and 2021. Most of those players isn't in the AB's team. In the game in the WC the AB's was fresh off a hiding from the Boks with their confidence so easy targets. Unsettled team with a coach that already lost his job. As if that is such a motivation, most players knowing under Robinson they will be dropped for his Crusaders players.


Not exactly the environment in which to claim WC honours. Yet, despite all that turmoil, that AB team that got thrashed by the Boks and lost to France, came back and made the WC Final. None of these things get mentioned. Oh no, that doesn't suit his narrative doesn't it? He needs to clickbait the SH teams as usual.


I'm not a violent man, not always, but that's a pathetic little worm I would break every bone in his body, and each sound of breaking bone would give me as much pleasure as a win for the Boks. I would record the sound of his breaking bones and use it as a new ringtone. That is how much respect I have for idiot clickbaiters like him.


Instead of proper articles like the rest out there, all he mostly dish up is tripe. He should change his name to Tripe Smith. That is a much better description of the weasel. Is that dissing enough for you? Next time, actually read to who my responses are aimed at and read their responses as to what elicited that type of response from me.


I don't usually strip myself for any response by you. I actually agree with most everything you usually say and I'm sure you would be a much better writer than BS, however, make sure you read to who and why the responses there is from various people before commenting. As for Lomu, he is one of the greats, despite not getting a WC trophy. I only had the highest regard for that man. What a player and what a human being he was.

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