Mervyn Jaffray is living in a place a million miles away from Argentina in the mid-1970s.
Jaffray played 102 games for Otago from 1971 to 1978, and made his only appearances for the All Blacks in the tour to South America.
Jaffray, who is now 63 and retired, lives in the town of Tairua in the Coromandel, lapping up the nice weather and catching as many fish as possible.
Argentina had played the game for more than 100 years but no New Zealand side had been there.
At the same time, the first-choice All Blacks were on a controversial trip to South Africa to take on the Springboks in a four-test series.
So not only was it a trip into the unknown for the men taking the trip but most rugby minds back in New Zealand were more focused on events on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Jaffray admits no-one in the team had any thoughts of what they were expecting when they made the journey to the country.
"We had no idea really what we were going to strike. But Argentina then was ruled by the military. There were soldiers everywhere. At games, at trainings, on the street," he said.
"We had a couple of trips on military aircraft, on old DC3s, and that. We never really went to many places out from the hotels. We just stayed in the hotels really.
"I hadn't done a lot of touring and not many of the others had either.
"They were great eaters though. Loved their steak and chicken. That is all we ate really. That is what all you wanted to eat as you knew it would be safe.
"Football was big over there. You could see that. But they still loved their rugby."
It took about half a dozen stops to get to South America in those days with the side flying into places such as Easter Island and Chile before ending up in Montevideo in Uruguay where the team played its first game against the Uruguayan national side.
It won that match 64-3 and that was the start of a successful tour for the side, which was known as the All Blacks. They won all nine games, including the two internationals against the Pumas.
The All Blacks were not awarded full test caps.
The team journeyed around the country, visiting places such as Tucuman and Rosario.
It was a handy All Black team, coached by future Grand Slam -inning coach Jack Glesson.
The team was captained by Graham Mourie, Andy Haden was the chief ball-winner in the lineout and Stu Wilson and Doug Rollerson led a talented backline.
The late Paul Sapsford was the only other Otago player in the 25-strong touring party.
It may have been more than a generation ago but it appears the Argentinian rugby style has not changed greatly.
"They were very physical and did a lot of mauling. They gave you a real good battle. They were really tough, strong guys. But they didn't move the ball much."
The side was a happy one, and scored 321 points in its nine games while conceding 72.
Jaffray played both games against the Pumas at No 8. In the home side at first five-eighth was Pumas great Hugo Porta.
"He was an outstanding footballer, a really talented player, who could do it all."
Jaffray came back to Otago and played a couple more seasons before a neck injury sent him into retirement.
He spent a lifetime in banking before retiring three years ago and has just become a grandfather second time around.
