Petti’s so proud to play with his hero

GUIDo PETTI was 13 years old and watching from the stands when the legendary Argentina side finished third at the 2007 world Cup in France.

Now, eight years later, Petti will line up with several of his heroes in the world Cup semi- final against Australia on Sunday.

‘ I went to that world Cup, I was very young. I was 13 years old,’ said the second rower, now 20. ‘ So, it was quite a big moment for Argentina. Maybe, in that moment, rugby in Argentina started to have more prominence.’

Petti is just one of an exciting new generation of Pumas alongside the likes of fellow lock Tomas Lavanini, flanker Pablo Matera and flying winger Santiago Cordero.

The promising young lock, who scored a try against the All Blacks during Argentina’s 26-16 loss at wembley in the Pool stage, has been everpresent in a powerful and impressive Argentine pack led by hooker Agustin Creevy.

The likes of Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Juan Martin Hernandez blazed a trail during that 2007 campaign and have been central to this current squad’s world Cup run.

For Petti, running out next to Hernandez — affectionately known as El Mago or ‘the magician’— will be the realisation of a dream for the Buenos Aires-born forward. ‘one month ago, I found a photo that I have from that moment in 2007 where I got a photo with Juan Martin,’ Petti explained. ‘ Now I am playing next to him, so we laugh a lot. Yeah, time goes quickly.’