If there was an international players poll asking who is the biggest hitter in the game Los Pumas forward Marcos Kremer would be on the podium.
The 24-year old, who now applies his trade week to week with Stade Francais in France’s Top 14, has been one of the planks that coach Mario Ledesma has built his side around each week throughout this Rugby Championship.
Read the full program for Round Five of TRC here
With new blood introduced every weekend, Kremer finds himself at times, amongst the most experienced Pumas’ players.
Kremer only starting play rugby a little over a decade ago as a 14-year-old - quite late in Argentine rugby terms - but his hunger, focus and desire helped him make a name for himself and within five seasons he was playing for his country at Test-level.
The bearded, unsmiling, giant – he’s 1.96m tall and is 116kg dripping wet – is the fourth ranked ball carrier in this year’s TRC - 31 carries - and also one of the most consistent defenders with 47 tackles.
His coach at Stade Francais Gonzalo Quesada is a huge fan.
“What is incredible about Marcos is his level of activity – there are a lot of things that are visible, but many more that are darker roles that help the team,” his former Jaguares’ coach Quesada says.
“The number of actions he has in the breakdown, the tackles, rucks and carries in a game are phenomenal. Sometimes it is hard to believe his stats.”
After taking the Parisian club to the Top 14 title in 2015, Quesada the former RWC 1999 top points scorer was tempted to return to his country after two decades by Ledesma, who had taken over the national team set-up and needed someone to lead Jaguares.
“I knew of Marcos from a young age from seeing him with Jaguares and then Los Pumas,” adds Quesada.
“In the two seasons I had him in Jaguares, he was a very important player for the team.”
Kremer, with Pablo Matera and skipper Julián Montoya the best and most consistent Los Pumas performers over the past three seasons, came to national prominence in 2015 after making his senior debut at club level at 17.
By the age of 18 he was an Under 20s international and a Jaguar and in 2016 made his Test debut against the All Blacks in New Zealand.
A very good defender at the maul, Kremer can play at lock or flanker, always offering the same grind.
“He is capable of a lot of activity, efficiency in the contact and does so repeatedly, which is very important in professional rugby,” added Quesada.
“You have some players that use the set pieces as a time to take a breather, but he is always pushing or busy for the team.”
“He is very professional at training, giving 100 percent at getting fitter, always trying to push physical boundaries to be in a better shape. And on his game, he is always wanting to learn in order to give more and better service to whichever team he is playing for.”
Within a year of his debut, he was an established member of the national team and had COVID-19 not interfered, he would have already reached 50 caps with the light blue and white jersey he so much adores.
So much achievement requires a special player and the experienced Quesada knows one when he sees one.
“Marcos is, probably, one of the players I’ve come across in the last few years that best prepares. I don’t know many other players that will prepare like Marcos does, that can have such clear goals and work so hard on a daily basis to achieve them.”
“It is easy to set goals, it is harder to then work for them. You have players that work hard but can’t manage to set their goals and those who set high goals but are unable to do the work.”
“Marcos has huge objectives and works like no one else to achieve them. Every minute of every day he will be doing something to help him get where he wants to go.”
“I don’t know another player that trains so hard, recovers so well, eats so healthily and knows exactly where he wants to go and which is the road to get there. He takes no shortcuts and doesn’t negotiate.”
Success with Los Pumas has been elusive this year and the Wallabies stand between Los Pumas and a satisfactory end to The Rugby Championship. One of the tragedies of COVID-19 has been the dismantling of the Jaguares after only four seasons.
Under the intelligent leadership of Quesada they travelled to Christchurch for their first ever Super Rugby final against serial champions the Crusaders. A number of the players in that 19-3 loss are on the field today.
The Super Rugby tournament that Argentina had learnt to enjoy from 2016 ceased to exist in 2020, the team was dismantled and players had to find greener pastures. Kremer was quick to find a new home under his old coach.
“For all of his playing attributes one of the reasons why I got him to play for me in Paris was because of the things he offered as a person,” Quesada offered.
“He represents exactly the culture that I want for my teams – how I feel my teams and players must behave.”
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Missing the early part of his first season on Los Pumas-duty, Kremer still started 12 of his 15 games for the “showbiz club” in France, making a huge impact.
He has worked extra hard to learn French and is a much-loved and respected player in the team. Yet, his team-mates at club and Test level are not that keen to meet him at training, let alone match, action.
As Puma coach Mario Ledesma said: “Marcos trains as hard as he plays … so much that his team-mates complain about how he hits them in practice!”
And Ledesma agrees with Quesada’s view on Kremer.
“Every player says he wants to be the best, but for that to happen there is a lot of effort that needs to go in to make that a reality. Marcos is always giving his best to be the best.”
His team needs to get some of the groove back from last year’s Rugby Championship history-making tournament in which they not only beat the All Blacks for the first time ever but also drew twice against the Wallabies.
Kremer will continue to do the work that brings few headlines and cover stories but ensure his team-mates will shine. Watch out for the bearded giant and if you follow him around the field for a handful of minutes you will understand why his peers love playing with him.
