Felipe Contepomi says goodbye to professional rugby.

[munstermuffin]

I understand now. Yes Argentine players don't tend to get so many caps. Albacete has been in the team an age yet only got 52 caps, Ledesma got 84 caps over a 15 year international career, other nations would be well over 100 with that length of career.

Contepomi is still performing very well at the top level. He still has great vision, passing and skills.

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If your referring to that Munster match in 09, Leinster were well on the way to winning. They were winning 12-6 when Contepomi went off, and Contepomi was playing well, Munster just weren't at the races like they were against the Ospreys in that game. The pack just weren't their usual selves and their fly half had a shocker.



The Contepomi twins combining here ...

Manuel was not nearly as skilled as his twin, but was a strong tackler as a centre so had his uses. Also played full back at the start of his career.

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Sorry I must've been at wrong game having remembered it correctly Sexton came on to kick first pen for Leinster. Contepomi hit drop goal and Duck again YouTube will kill you please watch a match. And explain this.
Contepomi went off after 20 mins was it (possibly) less - Sexton came on kicked a pen and Leinster scored a well worked try through D'arcy (which Sxton hit a howler of conversion to miss). We went in 11-6 down at half time yet you say it was 12-6. How do you work that out??? Just curious.

 

[LittleGuy]

To be fair, the reason Argentines play for so long is probably partially BECAUSE they don't play so many games in each year. They get a lot more breaks during the year, so they have greater lengths of time to recover.

A good point and one I hadn't thought of, though to play devils advocate many do play in the Top 14 which is well known for being the most grueling and exhausting of the domestic competitions.

 

[lynam1104]

Great player was wonderful for Leinster was sad when he had to leave, would have liked him to get a send off against us. Good luck Dr.Phil

 

[nickdnz]

Probably my favourite player from Argentina. Got the chance to meet him briefly in 2011 - seemed like a very nice and unassuming guy.

 

[Nielsch]

big shame always thought he was a big headstrong player, shame he didn't get more chances with a bigger team than Argentina would scored a lot more than he did say if he was Scottish or even irish...

Uhm, he finished third at a rugby world cup. How many Irish or Scottish can say that?

 

[lynam1104]

Uhm, he finished third at a rugby world cup. How many Irish or Scottish can say that?

None, unfortunately.

I think the point hes trying to make is he would have a lot more points and caps had he been form one of the home nations, and maybe with him one of the home nations would have gotten to a 3rd place play off (and won).

 

[SelimNiai]

Felipe will go down as one of, if not the greatest 10's to play for Bristol in the Pro era and frankly without his time playing and studying in Bristol he wouldn't have been as effective as he was in Dublin. You're Welcome.

We played his brother aswell for a while, a very underrated centre. Played in his brothers shadow but was a very direct, strong runner and solid in defense.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I agree that Manuel wad very underrated. I think he went back to Argentina after 2007 RWC to play for Newman, his youth club. He was also a commentator for ESPN for the Argentina test matches, a very knowledgeable guy who could actually articulate well.
If I was a club CEO anywhere in the world, I'd like to have Felipe Contepomi as my club doctor. A player with his smarts and leadership could make a good coach too, I think.

 

[Big Ewis]

Boy that Contepomi try is from that 40-10 beating we took in 2010 isn't it...what a terrible, terrible year...(despite the Slam early).
Yeah, def. a Rugby great. And durable !

 

[psychic duck]

To be fair, the reason Argentines play for so long is probably partially BECAUSE they don't play so many games in each year. They get a lot more breaks during the year, so they have greater lengths of time to recover.

Not really. The old Argentina schedule was internationals only in June and November. There is no extra breaks during the year.

An Argentine in the Top 14 would have started the season in August, played international in November, and then kept playing Top 14 during the 6 Nations. And then played internationals at the season end in June.

So the Argentine players played just as many matches as any other European international player. So your point about "a lot more breaks and more time to recover" is rubbish.

Sorry I must've been at wrong game having remembered it correctly Sexton came on to kick first pen for Leinster. Contepomi hit drop goal and Duck again YouTube will kill you please watch a match. And explain this.
Contepomi went off after 20 mins was it (possibly) less - Sexton came on kicked a pen and Leinster scored a well worked try through D'arcy (which Sxton hit a howler of conversion to miss). We went in 11-6 down at half time yet you say it was 12-6. How do you work that out??? Just curious.

I got the score wrong, but Leinster were on top with Contepomi on and were on top in that game. Munster got their points from some stupidity by Cian Healy.

Probably my favourite player from Argentina. Got the chance to meet him briefly in 2011 - seemed like a very nice and unassuming guy.

How did you get to meet him nickdnz?

 

[munstermuffin]

Not really. The old Argentina schedule was internationals only in June and November. There is no extra breaks during the year.

An Argentine in the Top 14 would have started the season in August, played international in November, and then kept playing Top 14 during the 6 Nations. And then played internationals at the season end in June.

So the Argentine players played just as many matches as any other European international player. So your point about "a lot more breaks and more time to recover" is rubbish.



I got the score wrong, but Leinster were on top with Contepomi on and were on top in that game. Munster got their points from some stupidity by Cian Healy.



How did you get to meet him nickdnz?

Again Duck I'd say you youtubed the wrong game. Yes Healy gave away the pen and was binned if I'm not mistaken but you'd hardly say Leinster were on top before Contepomi went off when it's 3-3 and it was more Munster attacking when Earls and Howlett butchered a clear try opportunity and managed to do similar later in game. Add in Munster finished half alot stronger and it was only in 2nd half Leinster really blew us away. But again I won't argue as you had a game with Contepomi kicking 12 points going off after 20mins and halftime score 12-6. Says it all really.
I never said Contepomi wouldn't have made same impact Sexton did that time but Sexton was certainly the form 10 in Ireland at time and had he not been banned prior for kick on Mafi he may have pressed for 10 shirt regardless.

 

[psychic duck]

Again Duck I'd say you youtubed the wrong game. Yes Healy gave away the pen and was binned if I'm not mistaken but you'd hardly say Leinster were on top before Contepomi went off when it's 3-3 and it was more Munster attacking when Earls and Howlett butchered a clear try opportunity and managed to do similar later in game. Add in Munster finished half alot stronger and it was only in 2nd half Leinster really blew us away. But again I won't argue as you had a game with Contepomi kicking 12 points going off after 20mins and halftime score 12-6. Says it all really.
I never said Contepomi wouldn't have made same impact Sexton did that time but Sexton was certainly the form 10 in Ireland at time and had he not been banned prior for kick on Mafi he may have pressed for 10 shirt regardless.

When a team wins as comprehensively as 30-6, I would suggest that changing one player wouldn't change the winner of the match, especially when player in question is a more than competent one. Not sure what point you're trying to argue.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Again Duck I'd say you youtubed the wrong game. Yes Healy gave away the pen and was binned if I'm not mistaken but you'd hardly say Leinster were on top before Contepomi went off when it's 3-3 and it was more Munster attacking when Earls and Howlett butchered a clear try opportunity and managed to do similar later in game. Add in Munster finished half alot stronger and it was only in 2nd half Leinster really blew us away. But again I won't argue as you had a game with Contepomi kicking 12 points going off after 20mins and halftime score 12-6. Says it all really.
I never said Contepomi wouldn't have made same impact Sexton did that time but Sexton was certainly the form 10 in Ireland at time and had he not been banned prior for kick on Mafi he may have pressed for 10 shirt regardless.

6-3 really, Leinster had an easy penalty when he got injured, Sexton's first contribution was tapping it over.

When a team wins as comprehensively as 30-6, I would suggest that changing one player wouldn't change the winner of the match, especially when player in question is a more than competent one. Not sure what point you're trying to argue.

25-6 you've got a bit mixed up with when Munster hammered us in '06. I agree with what you're saying, Felipe was up for that match and wasn't going to lose much the same as Sexton when he came on.

 

[munstermuffin]

When a team wins as comprehensively as 30-6, I would suggest that changing one player wouldn't change the winner of the match, especially when player in question is a more than competent one. Not sure what point you're trying to argue.

Well actually yes I did say Sexton was 1 of 3/4 on day that changed result in my opinion. And I didn't make 1 point against any of your comments. If I not mistaken I simply said I thought Sexton was huge part of reason they won by such a big margin that day as was BOD. Contepomi never played well in a big game against Munster. Simply put.
Then you came in with your great 12 - 6 Contepomi on top after 20 mins game. So what was your point?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Well actually yes I did say Sexton was 1 of 3/4 on day that changed result in my opinion. And I didn't make 1 point against any of your comments. If I not mistaken I simply said I thought Sexton was huge part of reason they won by such a big margin that day as was BOD. Contepomi never played well in a big game against Munster. Simply put.
Then you came in with your great 12 - 6 Contepomi on top after 20 mins game. So what was your point?

Well yes that is simply put if you consider the '06 semi as the only important one he played in but every Leinster Munster match is a big game in my opinion and he ripped Munster apart a few times in his career, RDS in '06 comes to mind.

 

[munstermuffin]

6-3 really, Leinster had an easy penalty when he got injured, Sexton's first contribution was tapping it over.



25-6 you've got a bit mixed up with when Munster hammered us in '06. I agree with what you're saying, Felipe was up for that match and wasn't going to lose much the same as Sexton when he came on.

I did acknowledge that originally when saying Sexton came on and kicked pen albeit didn't mention it was 1st thing he did. My point being in a Leinster jersey, even Leinster fans admit, Munster were Contepomi's bogey team and he never really delivered against us. Maybe he might have in Croker we will never know but my point being (and I've been to many MunLei Derbies) him and ROG simply were a joke *****ing at eachother non-stop and forgot to play in those games and mentally I think Contepomi lost his game a bit in those situations. That is my reason for simply saying I think Sexton made a big difference (which he did). But I will also add while it hasn't een said yet Contepomi had a huge input on making Sexton the player he is today

 

[munstermuffin]

Well yes that is simply put if you consider the '06 semi as the only important one he played in but every Leinster Munster match is a big game in my opinion and he ripped Munster apart a few times in his career, RDS in '06 comes to mind.

Well I presume you mean the game on New Years Eve 2005. Yes he was excellent that day in fairness but once out of all them league games. Lets not forget even Leinster recognized he just froze against us as they never used to start him in Thomond. He only ever started in Musgrave Park once. Not saying we were good just he got wound up by backchat to easily in fixture

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Well I presume you mean the game on New Years Eve 2005. Yes he was excellent that day in fairness but once out of all them league games. Lets not forget even Leinster recognized he just froze against us as they never used to start him in Thomond. He only ever started in Musgrave Park once. Not saying we were good just he got wound up by backchat to easily in fixture

Yeah I agree with that, the games were a bit unique back then. Whenever the two sides played it was decided by whether Felipe or ROG played well with the other being poor, the '07/'08 and '08/'09 seasons were perfect examples with Felipe being on top in the prior and ROG in the latter, with the exception of the semi which as you say we'll never know.

 

[psychic duck]

Well actually yes I did say Sexton was 1 of 3/4 on day that changed result in my opinion. And I didn't make 1 point against any of your comments. If I not mistaken I simply said I thought Sexton was huge part of reason they won by such a big margin that day as was BOD. Contepomi never played well in a big game against Munster. Simply put.

You were saying that Munster would have possibly won that semi. My point is that I disagree.

Contepomi seemed to play well in this game ...

Lovely backline moves to set up try for Horgan, made a short break on a pick up before a BOD try before that and gave a long try scoring pass to Heaslip. He also played well when he was on in the 2009 semi as well, giving a good pop pass to create a break through the defence just before he went off and also hit a good drop goal, ran through ROG and ripped the ball off Munster an attack. The difference between 2005 and 2009 was that Leinster increased their pack bringing in Elsom, Heaslip and Healy emerging as top players, Jennings and Cullen coming back from Leicester, and Wright doing a job. In the 2006 quarter final only Malcolm O'Kelly was the only credible font five forward for a team wanting to become champions and Cam Jowitt was at number 6.

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QUOTE=cmac95;568288]Well yes that is simply put if you consider the '06 semi as the only important one he played in but every Leinster Munster match is a big game in my opinion and he ripped Munster apart a few times in his career, RDS in '06 comes to mind.

Exactly.

I did acknowledge that originally when saying Sexton came on and kicked pen albeit didn't mention it was 1st thing he did. My point being in a Leinster jersey, even Leinster fans admit, Munster were Contepomi's bogey team and he never really delivered against us. Maybe he might have in Croker we will never know but my point being (and I've been to many MunLei Derbies) him and ROG simply were a joke *****ing at eachother non-stop and forgot to play in those games and mentally I think Contepomi lost his game a bit in those situations. That is my reason for simply saying I think Sexton made a big difference (which he did). But I will also add while it hasn't een said yet Contepomi had a huge input on making Sexton the player he is today

In 06 Contepomi had a bad game conceding a needless penalty and 3points for a scrap with Leamy and missed a few himself, but Munster were renowned wind up merchants, and they won winding him up. Contepomi got his revenge though in RWC 2007 and 2009. They wound him up when he was at Toulon as well I think. Contepomi hated ROG so much, which is why he used to love steamrollering him so much.

Well I presume you mean the game on New Years Eve 2005. Yes he was excellent that day in fairness but once out of all them league games. Lets not forget even Leinster recognized he just froze against us as they never used to start him in Thomond. He only ever started in Musgrave Park once. Not saying we were good just he got wound up by backchat to easily in fixture

Hardly froze against Munster in 2009. Straight out the blocks after just 48 seconds, set the tone for the match with ROG having a shocker (airbrushed out of Munster fans memories though). Munster/Leinster hardly played at Thomond in Contepomi's Leinster career and they started him in a semi final.

Yeah I agree with that, the games were a bit unique back then. Whenever the two sides played it was decided by whether the Munster pack dominated allowing ROG to profit or didn't allow Felipe to play well, the '07/'08 and '08/'09 seasons were perfect examples with Felipe being on top in the prior and ROG in the latter, with the exception of the semi which as you say we'll never know.

ftfty

 

[munstermuffin]

Duck I'll give it your some man for the youtube ha. 40 second cameo's mean you play well and ha.
I know you live on Youtube but the 1st clip you showed was of Dec 31st 2005 which has already been acknowledged as Contepomi playing well.
Also Argentina vs Ireland is a completely different issue before yopu put Youtube clip of game up.
Again you think Contepomi was playing well in 09 semi final in was it first 46 seconds and first 20 mins. Ok your entitled to your opinion and I'll disagree. And maybe I'd take it if you were there but I take it you werent or even if you seen game but seen as you had 2 attempts at guessing score and saw Contepomin score 12 points in a first half when Leinster only got 11. It's hard to think or take you seriously.
You do know Munster played Leinster twice in Thoimond and both time Cheika did everything but admit Contepomi wouldn't start because of his history in front of Munster fans and in that environment. But again I don't know what to say to you man as you probably saw something different on Youtube.
But will wrap up Contepomi wasn't anything special in 20 mins at Croker even Leinster fans know that and nobody airbrushed over ROG (again don't know why you wriggle him in is this a twisted love crush ) been poor that day as he was poor but the worst part of our game was Leinster dismantled our pack easy and that was the winning of game for them but see I know that because I was pitchside and seen it so don't forget while again I do question do you even see games live or just watch youtube and hate ROG.