Argentina make music in children's hospital

Nine-year-old Fotu Beni couldn’t believe his eyes when eight strapping Pumas entered his Dunedin Public Hospital children’s ward on Tuesday.

The sick youngster lapped up the attention of the Argentina team members and staff in a one-hour visit and was even treated to a song.

Fotu was joined by Trystyn Toki, a six-year-old from Richie McCaw's hometown Kurow, who was visiting his sick sister.

Children and staff watched as the Pumas’ Agustin Gosio played his guitar and his teammates clapped their hands and sang.

The serenade was repeated on the ground floor in the early children’s centre as goggle-eyed under-fives with painted faces peered up at the rugby stars.

When asked who would win the Rugby World Cup, one little girl replied: “All Blacks!”
Gosio said: “It was very nice to spend some moments with these boys who are sick and it’s an honour to make them happy for a small moment in their lives. It’s good for them and good for us.

“For us it is very good to do other stuff, not only rugby, and to relax our minds."

Gosio joked that he may only have been brought along to play the guitar, which he also did at the team's official welcome in the Dunedin Town Hall on Saturday.

The Argentina players, headed by Gosio, were: Maxi Bustos, Tomás Vallejos, Leonardo Senatore, Lucas González Amorosino, Marcos Ayerza, Nicolás Sánchez and Genaro Fessia.