Gonzalo Quesada will make Italy more ‘pragmatic’ says former team-mate Felipe Contepomi

Former Leinster and Argentina outhalf Felipe Contepomi believes new Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada will bring a “more pragmatic” style of rugby to his side.

Contepomi, who played with Quesada when they both were lining out for Los Pumas, says his fellow former 10 has a “significant challenge” ahead of him trying to bring success to Italy, but that he is a “very smart, meticulous coach” who is well-positioned to improve the Six Nations’ perennial wooden spoon-winners.

In previous years, Italy have developed a reputation as a side that loves to throw the ball wide while not kicking as often as other international teams. It is a style that has won them many admirers, but not many games. “He’ll be more pragmatic,” says Contepomi, speaking to The Counter Ruck, The Irish Times rugby podcast.

“He’ll try to get the players to make the right decision, when to go or when to say we’ll go and play down there.

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“I know Gonzalo very well. He definitely would have studied Ireland quite well and he will know where to go and try attack them. For me he has a challenge, playing Ireland, one of the best, if not the best, team in the world.”

Contepomi, who was an assistant on the Argentinian coaching staff under Michael Cheika during the World Cup, was also previously an assistant at the RDS. Since the retirement of Johnny Sexton, the province has at times been criticised for rotating the starting outhalf jersey between Harry Byrne, Ross Byrne, Ciarán Frawley and Sam Prendergast instead of anointing one successor and allowing them to become accustomed to the role.

“If you can have different guys playing, [but] the team keeps performing at the same level, that’s the ideal world,” explains Contepomi, who worked with the Leinster outhalves now challenging Jack Crowley for the Ireland 10 shirt. “In rugby, an injury can take you out. If you’re depending on one player ... if you’re in a final, three days before he’s injured, what do you do? No one can step up.

“The difficult thing is to get a team to perform and a system not depending on players. No matter who plays, the team will play the same way, that’s the most difficult thing to do and I think Leinster has done it, Ireland has done it and that’s why they’re so successful.”

Now head coach of his country, Contepomi also explained how he has adapted to coaching in an era where rugby sees much more structure and scripting of plays than when he played.

“We were playing off the cuff without a framework really,” he says. “Now the right balance is to set up a framework for players to make good decisions. But you need the frame, because in a team sport with 15 players, if everyone is playing their own way it’s very difficult to co-ordinate or have cohesion between the players.

“From our days, playing off the cuff, the world went to the opposite, being completely structured. That’s where now you need to find the balance of giving the players a frame to play in and allowing them to make decisions and show their skills, their creativity.”

Felipe Contepomi was speaking alongside Gordon D’Arcy and Nathan Johns on Thursday’s episode of The Counter Ruck podcast. You can listen to the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.