Daniel Hourcade: New boss will lead Pumas at 2019 World Cup

Argentina's Daniel Hourcade, shortlisted for world coach of the year after the Pumas' fine Rugby World Cup, has said he does not see himself still in charge for the 2019 tournament in Japan.

Hourcade said he believes in cycles and that change is often essential to keep a team fresh, though he set no date for a change in command.

“I don’t think (I will regret leaving the Pumas)... It’s always good for new faces to appear so that you don’t get the logical wear,” Hourcade told the Argentine daily Clarin in an interview.

“I will still be lending a hand from wherever I might be.”

Hourcade said, however, that he felt rejuvenated, that he had lived the dream of his life and the tournament, in which his side will play South Africa in Friday’s third-place playoff, was the greatest experience of his life.

“The most important thing I take from this World Cup is that all the results we got were the consequence of our game and that’s what most obsesses me,” he said of an attacking revolution he has masterminded with the Pumas.

“I like to win as a consequence (of actions) and die with my boots on, doing our thing,” added the coach, who said he was looking forward to a rest but not before his Pumas play the Barbarians at Twickenham on November 21st.

Meanwhile Argentina were forced to make a late change to their team for Friday's match after Marcos Ayerza was injured during training.

The loosehead prop tore a muscle in his right leg during Thursday’s final practice session, the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) said in a statement.

Juan Figallo was promoted to the starting line-up while Santiago Garcia Botta, who plays his club rugby for Belgrano Athletic in Buenos Aires, has been flown in to take a place on the bench.

Figallo himself was a late replacement in the tournament after Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro had to pull out through injury.

Figallo came into the Pumas squad before the quarter-final win against Ireland and started on the bench in the semi-final defeat by Australia.

Argentina: Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino; Santiago Cordero, Matias Moroni, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Horacio Agulla; Nicolas Sanchez (captain), Tomas Cubelli; Juan Figallo, Julian Montoya, Ramiro Herrera; Matias Alemanno, Tomas Lavanini; Javier Ortega Desio, Juan Fernandez Lobbe, Juan Manuel Leguizamon.

Replacements: Lucas Noguera, Santiago Garcia Botta, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Guido Petti, Facundo Isa, Martin Landajo, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Juan Pablo Socino.