KEY POINTS:
Argentina 30
Ireland 15
Juaquina Pichot's eyes were wide open. She'd never seen so many microphones and cameras in her young life.
The little daughter of inspirational Argentine captain Agustin Pichot was perched in the arms of key backline organiser Felipe Contepomi, no doubt wondering what all the
fuss was about in a dimly lit tunnel.
Pride shone through Contepomi's eyes as he explained what beating Ireland yesterday to win a quarter-final spot at the World Cup meant to his team and his country.
The 30-year-old second five-eighths Contepomi and his twin, centre Manuel, form a solid midfield wall and Felipe kicks the goals too. The win set up a clash with Scotland at Stade de France next Monday morning.
On form, you'd back them to beat their third Six Nations team at the tournament and that would mean uncharted territory - the semifinals against either South Africa or Fiji.
It was a special day for the Argentine squad. As the clock wound down at a packed Parc des Princes and it became apparent Ireland, for all their efforts, were done, the blue-and-white bedecked Argentine supporters stood waving their flags, roaring their appreciation.
At the final whistle, the players leaped about like kids in a playground. This is a fine, gifted group of players, many in their rugby prime.
As they left their dressing room for the bus, the players sang vociferously, slammed the walls of the corridor, sprayed each other with water bottles.
Sheer delight was the order of the day. It was as if they had proved a point to the rugby world - an eloquent demand for greater recognition.
Argentina are no strangers to the quarter-finals of the cup. They made it in 1999 and have spent the entire 20 years of the tournament on the cusp of cracking the elite - much as they have been banging on the International Rugby Board door for a spot in the Six Nations or Tri-Nations, and getting it shut in their face to their understandable deep frustration.
"When the World Cup started not many people would have said Argentina would top their group," said Contepomi, nine years a test player.
"Now I see we are going to be favourites to win our quarter-final, it is a proud moment for Argentina rugby, a proud moment for our nation and I know in Argentina many people are following this World Cup like a football World Cup.
"That means a lot to us."
As Pichot cradled Contepomi's daughter, Catalina, you could sense the family feel to this Argentine squad of rugged, gifted men.
Scotland await, and unless they find an extra couple of gears, they'll join fellow Celts Wales and Ireland back home on Monday.
And if that happens, as Argentina step into the semis for the first time, it will add extra resonance to their demands to the IRB.
