The Delegation of Argentina was integrated with the following
directors and players:
President and Manager: Luis Cilley (San Isidro
Club/SIC)
Referee: PL Sormani
Squad: Arturo Rodríguez Jurado (San Isidro
Club/SIC-Captain), Alan R. Cameron (Buenos Aires Football
Club-Sub-captain), Alejandro Arriaga (Olivos RC), Héctor Alfonso
(Club Atlético del Rosario), Jorge Cilley (San Isidro Club/SIC),
Noel W. Cooper (Buenos Aires Football Club), José A. Frígoli (Club
Gimnasia y Esgrima of Buenos Aires), Leonardo Hughes (Belgrano
Athletic Club ), Virgilio Inchausti ((Club Gimnasia y Esgrima of
Buenos Aires), Archibaldo Ker (Old Georgian Club), Héctor R. Pasman
(Club Universitario de Buenos Aires/CUBA), Samuel Ratcliff
(Belgrano Athletic Club ), Tomas Salzman (Club Universitario de
Buenos Aires/CUBA), Walter Sutton (Olivos RC), Emilio Schiavio
(Charrúas Rugby Club), JJ Tagliabúe (Belgrano Athletic Club ),
Heriberto AF Talbot (Club Atlético del Rosario) and RC Wilkins
(Buenos Aires Football Club).
The first match was played at the Playa Ancha stadium in the
city of Valparaíso, on the occasion of this city celebrating the IV
Centenary of its foundation; it was played on Sunday, September 20,
1936. Three thousand people watched the game. In Valparaíso in
those days there was only one rugby club, which was Badminton. The
result was Argentina's victory over Chile by 29-0. The referee was
Sormani
Chile: J. Valenzuela; W. Jones, C. Watson, D.
Gordon, and WR Kinnear; AGD Collis and G. Cooper; JG Hopkins (c),
L. Raby, and O. Reyes; E. Meredith and D. Watson;; F. Wylie, D.
McIntosh, and C. Walbaum.
Argentina: Alfonso; Ratcliff, AF Talbot,
Wilkins, and Schiavio; Arriaga and NW Cooper; J. Cilley, A.
Rodríguez Jurado (c) and Frígoli; Salzman and Sutton; Cameron,
Inchausti and Tagliabue.
The second match was played at the Stade Français stadium in Los
Leones, Santiago, on Wednesday, September 23. Despite being a
weekday, 2,000 people attended the match. The referee was Sormani.
The result was a 66-0 victory for Argentina against Prince of Wales
Country Club (champion of Chile).
Prince of Wales Country Club: R. Mederith; W.
Jones, C. Watson, D. Gordon, and S. Jones; AGD Collis and G.
Cooper; JG Hopkins (c), L. Raby, and D. Watson; E. Meredith and D.
Watson; J. Duncan, D. Duncan, and A. Goodden.
Argentina: Alfonso; Ratcliff, AF Talbot,
Hughes, and Schiavio; Arriaga and NW Cooper; J. Cilley, A.
Rodríguez Jurado (c) and HR Pasman; Salzman and A. Ker; Cameron,
Inchausti and Tagliabue.
The third match was played on Sunday, September 27, again in
Valparaíso, at the Playa Ancha stadium. The referee was the Chilean
R. Woodward, former player of Belgrano Athletic Club of Argentina.
The result favoured Argentina by 31 to 3.
Chile: J. Robinson; N. McIntosh, T. McDowall,
W. Jones, and S. Jones; WR Kinnear and AGD Collis; JG Hopkins (c),
L. Raby, and O. Reyes; E. Meredith and D. Watson; F. Wylie, G.
Henderson-Smith, and C. Walbaum.
Argentina: Pasman; Hughes, AF Talbot, Wilkins,
and Schiavio; Arriaga and NW Cooper; J. Cilley, A. Rodríguez Jurado
(c) and Frígoli; Salzman and Ker; Cameron, Inchausti and
Tagliabue.
The first three Chilean points were scored in this match,
through a penalty kicked by winger N. McIntosh.
Nine clubs were represented within the Argentine national team.
In total Argentina scored 126 points to only 3 against. The
outstanding figure of the tour, according to El Gráfico, was Arturo
Rodríguez Jurado, who played number 8. Jorge Cilley and Tomás
Salzman were also effective. Tagliabúe and A. Ker were the
revelations. Among the backs, fullback Alfonso and HAF Talbot stood
out. The try man was the wing of Charrúas, Emilio Schiavi., very
well served by the centers Talbot and Wilkins. The midfielder pair,
Arriaga and Cooper, played excellently and surprised by doing so
collectively.
Chileans in those years suffered from a lack of competition,
which was generally reflected on the pitch. There were only 4 rugby
clubs in Chile, namely: Badminton de Valparaíso and three clubs
from Santiago: the Prince of Wales Country Club, Stade Français and
Green Cross. The main leaders of the Chilean Rugby Union (today
called the Chilean Rugby Federation) were David Blair (President)
and JG Hopkins (Secretary, treasurer, captain of the national team
and one of the best players on the trans-Andean team).
In this way I have wanted to reflect this historic event for
Argentine rugby and, of course, readers will have to transport
themselves through time and place themselves in that distant 1936
to bear witness to those unique experiences.
POSTSCRIPT:
I) Héctor R Pasman (Club Universitario de Buenos Aires/CUBA) was
one of the founders and President in 1956, of the Club Champagnat
of Buenos Aires (Marist College Old Boys).
II) The following three persons learned to play rugby in the
Club Atletico de San Isidro (CASI), founded in 1902.
Luis Cilley won the championship with CASI in 1926,1927, 1928,
1930, 1933 and 1934. In 1935 he helped found the San Isidro Club
(SIC)
Arturo Rodríguez Jurado won the championship with CASI in 1923,
1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929 1930,1933 and 1934. In 1935 he helped
found the San Isidro Club (SIC)
Jorge Cilley was Champions with CASI in 1933 and 1934.In 1935
founder the San Isidro Club (SIC).
III) In July 1935, many players of CASI were suspended by the
Board of Directors of CASI.
As soon as possible, the players founded SIC on the 14, December
1935 and in 1936 they played for the new club, San Isidro Club in
First Division of the Argentine Rugby Union.
About the Author - Eduardo García Sáenz
played for Marist Brothers Club (1975-79) and coached the Argentina
national sides at under 19 and 21 level (1979-80). Since then he
has worked as a radio commentator, television and newspaper
columnist. He has written extensively about the history of rugby,
football and polo in Argentina. Eduardo welcomes correspondence and
can be contacted by email or on twitter
.
