Twickenham is already a place that holds special resonance for Julián Montoya but if things go according to plan between now and the end of the year, the hooker will become even more accustomed with that corner of south-west London.
Injury and form permitting, the Argentina captain will lead Los Pumas into two Test matches at Allianz Stadium later this year, against world champions South Africa on October 4 and England seven weeks later.
For the first of those, the round six Rugby Championship meeting with the Springboks, Los Pumas will have the honour of using the home changing room, something their skipper has only done once before – during the 2022 Gallagher Premiership final.
Montoya’s Leicester Tigers won that match, under the guidance of England coach Steve Borthwick, and the hooker is keen to help his club side return to the showpiece match on June 14.
“It’s a stadium full of history, a cathedral of rugby,” Montoya, whose first taste of the ground came in Argentina’s 2015 Rugby World Cup semi-final defeat to Australia, says.
“I’m lucky enough to have played there a few times and I never take for granted playing for Argentina, and the same with those types of stadiums for sure. So, it’s a great opportunity for us.”
Montoya was speaking to RugbyPass on the sidelines of Argentina’s first training camp of the year, which took place in London this week.
The Test centurion remains as passionate about representing his country now as he was when he won his first cap, against Uruguay back in 2014.
“It’s what I love the most about playing rugby,” he says. “When I started playing, I was playing for the love of the game and everything, but my biggest dream was always to play for Argentina, so I never take that for granted, never.
“I’m very grateful and very honoured to be here, so it doesn’t matter the amount of caps or years you’ve been in, every time you are waiting for that call to come.
“Now we’re in camp and we’re enjoying being with each other, enjoying each other’s company and doing a review of last season. Of course, because of our reality, everyone is spread around the world, so we need to use these camps to get back on track, speak and make a review from last year, what we want for this year as well.
“So, it is what it is, we’re not going to complain about it but the amount of time that we spend together is short, so we need to take the most advantage of it.”
Fixture
Rugby Championship
Argentina
South Africa
He does not hide the fact that he gets most fired up leading his country into battle on home soil but says “I understand the rules and we are going to play wherever we need to play”.
And he has backed Argentinian fans based in the UK to turn Twickenham into a sea of blue and white when Los Pumas face the Springboks in October.
“I know there’s loads of Argentinians living around here (in London), so I know that the crowd is going to be there supporting us,” Montoya says.
“Every time we play away from home, if it’s Japan, if it’s New Zealand, Australia, England, there’s always Argentinians there. I know they are in every part of the world, and you can hear them.
“If there’s one, you are going to listen to him, if there are more… but I’m sure it’s going to be a great day and they’re going to be very vocal and you’re going to see our flags and our jerseys, rugby jerseys, football jerseys as well. I expect it to be a great atmosphere for sure.”
Including the 2022 Premiership final, Montoya has been part of three winning teams at Twickenham and he will hope to add at least one more victory to the list by the end of November.
Leicester currently occupy the fourth and final play-off place in the Premiership table with seven rounds to play, and remain well in the hunt for a 12th title despite a trying season.
Montoya arrived at Mattioli Woods Welford Road during the COVID-impacted 2020/21 season, following the demise of Argentine Super Rugby franchise Jaguares.
It was the first time the hooker had played club rugby overseas and it is clear his time in England, where his daughter was born, has shaped the player and person he is today.
“I came in COVID,” Montoya says. “It was a bit crazy as you remember as well but it was a big shift. I was playing Super Rugby, which I loved.
“It was an amazing experience, but then I came here to Leicester and I started playing more, I knew different people, different cultures, I played with people from different countries as well and then of course Leicester is one of the biggest clubs that exist in terms of history and everything.
“In my first season I got injured, so I wasn’t very pleased, but it’s part of the journey and then we won the league. Then we played semi-finals – that season wasn’t a very good season, I really enjoyed it as well, but it wasn’t the best season – and now we are on track, and we have big games ahead.”
He adds: “In Leicester it was a moment in my career [when] I started playing every game, I was the first choice most of the time. In Jaguares, the first years I came out of the bench, or I played half and half with other hookers.
“At the end of 2020 I started playing more but in Leicester then it was knowing a different type of rugby, being coached by different people. When you are away from home you need to… grow faster and you relate differently with other people, you learn more.
“I wanted to come to England at the beginning because the focus they put on developing players as well and I wanted at that moment, and I still want, to get better because I know I have a lot of room to get better
“So, that was one of the reasons I came and then we had a good team, and I have really, really good friends here. That’s what is amazing about our sport as well, you make memories off the pitch, on the pitch and of course, we won a trophy, but we’re looking forward for another.”
Montoya has been linked with a move to Pau for next season, but when it is suggested this could be his final few months as a Tiger, the hooker insists “we don’t know that yet”.
“My motivation doesn’t change regardless if it’s season one, season two or season 10,” Montoya adds. “I like competing, I like winning, but for that you need to perform week in, week out.
“Now we have a big break and now it’s how we are using this break to get better at the things we need to get better at, and now we need to attack the run-in at full speed because there is no time.
“Of course, I am keen to go to Twickenham again. It would be really, really, really good but you can’t think far ahead. Nothing is defined yet and we have a lot of work to do and we have a lot of things to improve.”
The Rugby Championship is coming to London this Autumn, with Argentina hosting Rugby World Cup winners South Africa on 4 October at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. Secure your seat here.
