The Pumas 7's, after the historic fourth consecutive championship in Vancouver: "This team marked an era"

"We don't want to take away anyone's home advantage, but we feel at home here." Luciano González 's words resonated in the BC Place stadium, amidst the euphoria and celebrations for a new consecration of Los Pumas 7's in the Vancouver Sevens , where the blue and white team is getting used to winning. The team led by Santiago Gómez Cora was crowned for the fourth consecutive season in that city and starred in a celebration that will remain engraved in the memory of national rugby and in the history books of the World Circuit of that specialty.

The 19-12 victory over South Africa in the final - in which González was the MVP - was the icing on the cake for a tournament in which the Argentines once again displayed great team play, but also demonstrated the personality to face difficult moments and hold on to results against very tough rivals, with defense as their standard-bearer. And that left the players as happy as the gold medal itself.

"I am very happy and proud of my entire team. We are happy with the work we do to get Argentina to the top. We had a very tough quarter-final against France . That's when our grit came into play. When the game doesn't work, we have that thing that comes from within, from our Argentine culture, to give a little more and with that we won several games," reflected captain Santiago Mare .

"We did the little things well, we have a very good defence and that was what we did well on the field and that was our difference. Our pressure and our patience showed that we trusted our system. Now we have to continue with our objective of continuing to work day after day. Work based on humility. Put our heads in the present without underestimating anyone," continued the scrum half who came up through Regatas de Bella Vista.

Gómez Cora, who did not travel to Vancouver because he is still recovering from a health problem (he had not been at the coronation the previous day in Perth either), followed his players' performance from a distance and was very pleased with what he saw on the court.

"We saw a much more solid team, the result of many years of work. Although we can win or lose, we are increasingly more confident and that speaks of the process. We are looking to mark an era and not a milestone. We have been up there for four or five years, today we are at the top of the ranking," said the coach.

Getting back on top of the podium in Vancouver was historic for Los Pumas 7's, who became only the fourth team to lift the trophy in a single stage of the circuit four times in a row. The other three are major sevens powers: South Africa (which won five times in Dubai, between 2019 and 2023), Fiji (also five in Hong Kong between 2015 and 2019) and New Zealand (which celebrated four in a row in Dubai between 1999 and 2002 and also South Africa between 2009 and 2012, first in George and then in Port Elizabeth).

The Argentines were crowned undefeated - they won all six matches and extended their winning streak to 24 in the Canadian competition - and managed to beat the Springboks for the first time in a final, after five losses. The South Africans had won the ones they played in Cardiff 2003, Singapore 2004, Cape Town 2013 and in Malaga and Dubai in 2022.

After Sunday's celebration - which was their 11th gold in their history on the world circuit and their 50th medal (they also have 17 silver and 22 bronze) - they remain the sole leaders of the table with 68 points, after four of the six qualifying stages for the Grand Final have been played. Behind them are Spain (64), whom they beat in the semi-finals, and Fiji and South Africa, who share third place with 62. And with three podiums this season - in addition to the titles in Perth and Vancouver, they took bronze in the first round in Dubai in December - they are emerging as strong candidates to repeat last year's achievement, when they finished first in the regular phase.

Consolidated for some time now as one of the most powerful teams in rugby sevens, Los Pumas are getting used to winning. And although today is all about enjoyment, neither the players nor the coaching staff want to normalize this present situation so as not to lose focus.

"What this team is doing never ceases to surprise me. But we must never get used to this, it's not normal. We know how much we worked to be here and to win another final. It's the fruit of everyone's effort. That's why it's so much more enjoyable," said Joaquín Pellandini.

Gómez Cora summed up: "As we always say, we are not the worst when we lose, nor are we the best when we win. But Argentina is a world power and we can feel very proud of that."

The action on the world circuit will now move to Hong Kong, where the fifth round of the season will be played between March 28 and 30. And Los Pumas already know who their rivals will be in the group stage.

The Argentine team, which finished ninth in that event last year, will be in Group A together with Fiji, the United States and Ireland, which won bronze in 2024. In Group B, South Africa, New Zealand (current champion), Australia and Uruguay will play. And in Group C, Spain, Great Britain, France, semi-finalist in the last edition, and Kenya.

After that date, there will be one more to be played in the regular phase, in Singapore, on April 5 and 6. And then the eight best teams will qualify for the Grand Final, which will be played in Los Angeles on May 3 and 4.