FELIPE CONTEPOMI WAS back in Dublin last month to accept an honorary fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland [RCSI].
The good doctor Contepomi graduated from RCSI with a Bachelor of Medicine degree in 2007, which he earned at the same time as being a star player for Michael Cheika’s Leinster.
And while the honorary fellowship of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine surely meant a lot to Contepomi, his visit to Dublin also fuelled speculation that he is the man Leinster hope will succeed Leo Cullen as head coach after the 2027 World Cup.
Argentina head coach Contepomi is contracted until the end of next year’s tournament, and with Cullen’s Leinster reign concluding at the end of this season, there are plenty of Leinster fans who see this as the stars getting close to aligning.
‘Dr Phil’ remains hugely popular with Leinster supporters and many within the province’s hierarchy and playing squad. He was part of the side that built towards the province’s first-ever Heineken Cup in 2009, albeit he missed out on the final. Out-half Contepomi always played a thrilling, fiery brand of rugby that Leinster fans identified with.
He later returned as an assistant coach under Cullen and Stuart Lancaster, joining in 2018 as backs coach. Contepomi was well regarded by the Leinster players for his work in what proved to be a four-year stint before the lure of the Pumas proved too strong.
It was 2022 when Contepomi linked up with Argentina, first as Cheika’s attack coach and then as the main man when Cheika moved on after the 2023 World Cup.
Contepomi has had lots of good nights in Dublin, and the most recent rugby one was Argentina’s win over Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions in the summer of 2025 before they set off on their tour of Australia. The Pumas delivered a cracking performance to spoil the going-away party.
Argentina were close to winning in Dublin the autumn before, coming up short against Ireland on a 22-19 scoreline in November 2024. Contepomi’s men spent the closing stages camped in the Irish 22 but dropped the ball at the death, much to Farrell’s relief.
That was Argentina’s most recent meeting with Ireland and the latest part of a four-game Irish winning streak in this fixture, albeit with all four of those games taking place in Dublin in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2024. Los Pumas will be determined to put that right on Friday week in their latest visit to the Aviva Stadium.
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Contepomi would be a popular choice as Leinster's next boss. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
These nations have only played each other 20 times, so it’s an intriguing match-up.
It’s all the more interesting because Ireland and Argentina are on a quarter-final collision course at next year’s World Cup if the tournament works out according to seeding.
That would likely be an epic World Cup quarter-final, and there would undoubtedly be lots of Irish nerves given that Argentina have knocked Ireland out of the 1999, 2007 and 2015 World Cups.
So there are all sorts of contexts and subplots to next week’s Nations Championship meeting between the sides, also including the fact they both have ground to make up in this competition as they sit fourth in their respective Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere tables coming into this second window.
The Pumas have had a rather up-and-down time of it since that stirring win over the Lions at a sold-out Aviva in 2025.
They lost both Tests at home to England that summer, but went on to earn their first-ever home win against the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship, as well as winning against the Wallabies in Sydney. Yet they finished bottom of the log after losing their four other games.
Argentina won against Wales and Scotland last autumn on their Northern tour, but they had a poor opening window of the Nations Championship this year.
Contepomi’s men were well beaten at home by the Scots, beat the Welsh, but then lost at home to England on a highly charged occasion in San Juan. Los Pumas played poorly and lost their discipline, with out-half Tomás Albornoz subsequently banned for intimidating referee Angus Gardner after the final whistle of that loss.
Contepomi walked out of his post-match press conference, reportedly saying England’s celebrations in the changing room next door to the media room showed a “lack of respect.”
Argentina wore replicas of the football team’s 1986 World Cup kit that day against England, and it was a rancourous occasion.
In August, los Pumas struggled as they lost at home to South Africa and Australia, before drawing with the Wallabies in their second meeting. So they’ll be keen to get back on a happier footing against Ireland next week.
Contepomi doesn’t have the luxury that Farrell enjoys in having all of his players based at home in Argentina. His group includes players from the Top 14, Prem, URC, Super Rugby Americas, Japan Top League, and Super Rugby.
Shaun Edwards joins los Pumas for this campaign. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Right now, Contepomi has a 33-man Argentina group in London for a three-day training camp. They gathered on Sunday night and will disperse on Wednesday, before Contepomi confirms his final Nations Championship squad.
The Argentinians have been hit with a few injury blows recently, with Bath fullback/out-half Santiago Carreras suffering an ACL injury last weekend in the Prem.
Lyon loosehead Thomas Gallo sustained a dislocated wrist while on Top 14 duty, while Toulouse centre Santiago Chocobares has been dealing with a head injury.
Gallo and Carreras are facing long recovery spells but Chocobares will hope to be back soon, and Ireland know there is still lots of quality in the Argentina squad.
Forwards like Pablo Matera and Julián Montoya can mix it with the best, while others such as Pedro Rubiolo continue to develop into frontline forces. Backs like Juan Cruz Mallía, Albornoz and Bautista Delguy can weave magic when they’re in the mood.
The Pumas will also have a familiar new face in their camp next week when they arrive in Dublin, with the legendary Shaun Edwards joining as defence coach until the end of the 2027 World Cup.
Edwards left the France set-up after this year’s Six Nations, and Contepomi has swooped to bring his nous in, along with new forwards coach Mario Ledesma, who was the Pumas head coach from 2018 until 2022.
That’s a serious dollop of experience Contepomi is adding to his coaching ticket, which also includes the innovative Kendrick Lynn, who works with him on the attack, and former Pumas captain Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, whose expertise is the breakdown and lineout.
Timing their run for the World Cup next year is the big goal for Argentina, but they’d love to turn their recent record against Ireland around next week.
This Test is not sold out yet, although the IRFU says that more than 47,000 tickets have been snapped up for the 51,700-capacity Aviva so far.
2026 has not been a good year for Contepomi’s Argentina so far, but they will be plotting to change their fortunes with another good night in Dublin.
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Contepomi's Pumas plotting another good night in Dublin
FELIPE CONTEPOMI WAS back in Dublin last month to accept an honorary fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland [RCSI].
The good doctor Contepomi graduated from RCSI with a Bachelor of Medicine degree in 2007, which he earned at the same time as being a star player for Michael Cheika’s Leinster.
And while the honorary fellowship of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine surely meant a lot to Contepomi, his visit to Dublin also fuelled speculation that he is the man Leinster hope will succeed Leo Cullen as head coach after the 2027 World Cup.
Argentina head coach Contepomi is contracted until the end of next year’s tournament, and with Cullen’s Leinster reign concluding at the end of this season, there are plenty of Leinster fans who see this as the stars getting close to aligning.
‘Dr Phil’ remains hugely popular with Leinster supporters and many within the province’s hierarchy and playing squad. He was part of the side that built towards the province’s first-ever Heineken Cup in 2009, albeit he missed out on the final. Out-half Contepomi always played a thrilling, fiery brand of rugby that Leinster fans identified with.
He later returned as an assistant coach under Cullen and Stuart Lancaster, joining in 2018 as backs coach. Contepomi was well regarded by the Leinster players for his work in what proved to be a four-year stint before the lure of the Pumas proved too strong.
It was 2022 when Contepomi linked up with Argentina, first as Cheika’s attack coach and then as the main man when Cheika moved on after the 2023 World Cup.
Contepomi has had lots of good nights in Dublin, and the most recent rugby one was Argentina’s win over Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions in the summer of 2025 before they set off on their tour of Australia. The Pumas delivered a cracking performance to spoil the going-away party.
Argentina were close to winning in Dublin the autumn before, coming up short against Ireland on a 22-19 scoreline in November 2024. Contepomi’s men spent the closing stages camped in the Irish 22 but dropped the ball at the death, much to Farrell’s relief.
That was Argentina’s most recent meeting with Ireland and the latest part of a four-game Irish winning streak in this fixture, albeit with all four of those games taking place in Dublin in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2024. Los Pumas will be determined to put that right on Friday week in their latest visit to the Aviva Stadium.
These nations have only played each other 20 times, so it’s an intriguing match-up.
It’s all the more interesting because Ireland and Argentina are on a quarter-final collision course at next year’s World Cup if the tournament works out according to seeding.
That would likely be an epic World Cup quarter-final, and there would undoubtedly be lots of Irish nerves given that Argentina have knocked Ireland out of the 1999, 2007 and 2015 World Cups.
So there are all sorts of contexts and subplots to next week’s Nations Championship meeting between the sides, also including the fact they both have ground to make up in this competition as they sit fourth in their respective Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere tables coming into this second window.
The Pumas have had a rather up-and-down time of it since that stirring win over the Lions at a sold-out Aviva in 2025.
They lost both Tests at home to England that summer, but went on to earn their first-ever home win against the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship, as well as winning against the Wallabies in Sydney. Yet they finished bottom of the log after losing their four other games.
Argentina won against Wales and Scotland last autumn on their Northern tour, but they had a poor opening window of the Nations Championship this year.
Contepomi’s men were well beaten at home by the Scots, beat the Welsh, but then lost at home to England on a highly charged occasion in San Juan. Los Pumas played poorly and lost their discipline, with out-half Tomás Albornoz subsequently banned for intimidating referee Angus Gardner after the final whistle of that loss.
Contepomi walked out of his post-match press conference, reportedly saying England’s celebrations in the changing room next door to the media room showed a “lack of respect.”
Argentina wore replicas of the football team’s 1986 World Cup kit that day against England, and it was a rancourous occasion.
In August, los Pumas struggled as they lost at home to South Africa and Australia, before drawing with the Wallabies in their second meeting. So they’ll be keen to get back on a happier footing against Ireland next week.
Contepomi doesn’t have the luxury that Farrell enjoys in having all of his players based at home in Argentina. His group includes players from the Top 14, Prem, URC, Super Rugby Americas, Japan Top League, and Super Rugby.
Right now, Contepomi has a 33-man Argentina group in London for a three-day training camp. They gathered on Sunday night and will disperse on Wednesday, before Contepomi confirms his final Nations Championship squad.
The Argentinians have been hit with a few injury blows recently, with Bath fullback/out-half Santiago Carreras suffering an ACL injury last weekend in the Prem.
Lyon loosehead Thomas Gallo sustained a dislocated wrist while on Top 14 duty, while Toulouse centre Santiago Chocobares has been dealing with a head injury.
Gallo and Carreras are facing long recovery spells but Chocobares will hope to be back soon, and Ireland know there is still lots of quality in the Argentina squad.
Forwards like Pablo Matera and Julián Montoya can mix it with the best, while others such as Pedro Rubiolo continue to develop into frontline forces. Backs like Juan Cruz Mallía, Albornoz and Bautista Delguy can weave magic when they’re in the mood.
The Pumas will also have a familiar new face in their camp next week when they arrive in Dublin, with the legendary Shaun Edwards joining as defence coach until the end of the 2027 World Cup.
Edwards left the France set-up after this year’s Six Nations, and Contepomi has swooped to bring his nous in, along with new forwards coach Mario Ledesma, who was the Pumas head coach from 2018 until 2022.
That’s a serious dollop of experience Contepomi is adding to his coaching ticket, which also includes the innovative Kendrick Lynn, who works with him on the attack, and former Pumas captain Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, whose expertise is the breakdown and lineout.
Timing their run for the World Cup next year is the big goal for Argentina, but they’d love to turn their recent record against Ireland around next week.
This Test is not sold out yet, although the IRFU says that more than 47,000 tickets have been snapped up for the 51,700-capacity Aviva so far.
2026 has not been a good year for Contepomi’s Argentina so far, but they will be plotting to change their fortunes with another good night in Dublin.
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Argentinga Dr Phil Ireland los pumas Nations Championship Vamos!