Rugby union is 'booming' in football-mad Argentina, according to Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi.

An inspired Lionel Messi was instrumental in defeating England and helping Argentina reach back-to-back World Cup finals. Argentina's Pumas have also delivered regularly at Rugby World Cups, reaching three semi-finals over the past five tournaments. They host England this week, looking to follow the lead of their footballing colleagues. Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi played in the 2007 World Cup when Argentina reached the final four for the first time – a run that included wins over France, Ireland and Scotland. That success, followed by semi-final appearances in 2015 and 2023, helped to increase rugby's popularity in a country dominated by football and Messi mania. "It's very community-based rugby and the clubs are growing. We have more and more people every year. "It is not comparable with football because I always say rugby is a sport, football is a religion for an Argentinian. "The dimension is completely different. Even myself, I live for rugby, but football is still in my skin."