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One thing about Argentina, they sure can play team sports.
Its basketball team qualified No. 1 out of the FIBA Americas for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, its field-hockey team is also top-ranked in the Americas heading to Rio 2016 and its rugby team is ranked No. 5 in the world.
Then there鈥檚 Lionel Messi and the national soccer team, which needs little introduction.
The Langford-based Canadian team heads into the maw of the beast today with an Americas Rugby Championship game against host Argentina XV in Rosario.
All games in the Americas Championship are Test matches, except those involving Argentina XV. Because Argentina is world top-five, it is not fielding its full national side for the Americas tournament, because the scores might otherwise be too lop-sided.
World No. 19 sa国际传媒 comes in today 2-1 after defeating No. 42 Brazil 52-25 last weekend at Westhills Stadium in Langford and No. 21 Uruguay 33-17 three week ago at Westhills.
The loss, 30-22 to the No. 16 U.S. Eagles, came two weeks ago in Austin, Texas.
Undefeated Argentina XV is 2-0-1 after beating Uruguay 24-21, No. 24 Chile 52-15 and tying the U.S. 35-35.
Although today鈥檚 game doesn鈥檛 qualify as one, sa国际传媒 is 2-6 all-time against Argentina in Test matches.
鈥淎rgentina is always a challenge,鈥� said Ratier, before the Canadian team left Victoria last week.
World Cup front-row veteran Hubert Buydens of the Castaway Wanderers of Oak Bay will captain sa国际传媒 today in Rosario.
While Uruguay and Brazil came from summer to winter for their Tests this month at Westhills, the Canadians are doing the reverse. The Uruguayan and Brazilian captains, during their time in Langford, both said it is easier going from summer to winter than the other way around.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been over 35 C each day, but the players and staff have done a good job adapting,鈥� said Ratier, in a statement Saturday from Rosario.
The Americas Championship was created because World Rugby, as their-branded IRB is now known, wants to give the second-tier nations more Test matches to help build up their programs leading up to the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
sa国际传媒 concludes the Americas Tournament with Test against Chile next Sunday in Santiago.
