The Exeter back is one of many Pumas relishing life in exile but believes the compatriots he left behind are on the rise
It is Santiago Cordero’s own choice but a life in rugby exile can be testing. On Saturday the 24-year-old could have been running out against the All Blacks in Buenos Aires, facing the haka and standing shoulder to shoulder with his best mates for the national anthems. Instead he will be in distant Devon, plying his trade for Exeter Chiefs against Worcester at Sandy Park before heading home to watch his beloved Pumas from his sofa.
Across Europe there are around 20 players who, were they not based abroad, would be strong contenders for Argentina’s squad. Juan Imhoff at Racing 92, Juan Figallo at Saracens, Facundo Isa at Toulon: as with Cordero, these are not modest journeymen but major talents. All are now looking on from afar, unable to do more than cheer the Pumas’ recent wins over South Africa and Australia and the team’s highly encouraging performance in defeat to New Zealand in Nelson.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/sep/28/santiago-cordero-exeter-chiefs under the title “Santiago Cordero: ‘England should worry. Argentina are getting better and better’”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
