KEY POINTS:
PARIS - Key men in the World Cup semi-final between Argentina and South Africa at the Stade de France here on Sunday:
Argentina
Juan Martin Hernandez
The master of the drop goal and unlike some players or coaches who are given nicknames he like former Australia
coach John 'Knuckles' Connolly merits his of the 'Magician'. He has been outstanding at fly-half in the tournament which is quite remarkable given that he is third string at Stade Francais behind the pedestrian David Skrela and the young tyro Lionel Beauxis. He has quite rightly been highlighted by the Springboks as the man to cover and watch and try and close down so he can't do to them what Jannie de Beer did to England in 1999 and extinguish their hopes with drop goals. The 25-year-old Buenos Aires native is also a spark to release the backs, which thankfully he does from time to time given that while effective watching the Puma pack controlling the ball is about as interesting as watching paint dry.
Agustin Pichot
Icon is all one can say about the feisty, spiky, ever talkative and highly intelligent scrum-half and veteran of four World Cups including this one. Indeed Argentina's rise will be indelibly linked to his caree and at 33 it is appropriate to see his international career end with this high profile match and, depending on the result, possibly the final to come. While some object to his continual sniping and questioning of the referee it was his inspirational leadership in the quarter-final against Scotland that helped his teammates rally and keep their heads above an increasingly strong Scottish tide. Pichot has certainly got under the skin of the man who will be opposite him on Sunday, Fourie du Preez. "He is quite irritating, he's always there trying to upset you and obviously he wants to direct his team as he is their leader," said du Preez. "He is one of those scrum halves that are in your face the whole time and it is difficult to play against a scrum-half like that." Round one to Pichot - whether he will deliver the knockout is debatable.
Mario Ledesma
Alongside Pichot, Ledesma is the heart and soul of the team. Unoriginally nicknamed 'Super Mario' there is nothing original either about his play. However, the 34-year-old hooker has like Pichot been there from the start of the Pumas' rise to power and he doesn't waste a moment in not telling anybody within earshot. However, the medical graduate is a highly effective if no frills hooker and bested Raphael Ibanez in the match against France and then Jerry Flannery in the 30-15 humiliation of Ireland. Even such a battle hardened warrior as himself admitted to having flipped as Scotland got closer to overhauling them last Sunday, adding that it was sheer heart that got them through it. "We are the last of the romantics in rugby," said Ledesma. He will have to be more pragmatist than romantic on Sunday if the fairytale is to continue.
South Africa
Percy Montgomery
His flowing blond locks and bronzed features lend him an air that he is more the Malibu Beach type of surfer or a Hollywood soap star. However appearances are deceptive because 'Monty' as he is known has emerged as the record caps holder in Springbok history and points scorer to boot. The 33-year-old has been impressive at the World Cup, both in attack and with the boot, though, found slightly wanting defensively against Tonga and Fiji. However, in general Montgomery - who missed the 2003 edition because of a suspension for pushing over a touch judge in a rare moment of him losing his sang froid - has more than repaid the faith shown in him by coach Jake White in persuading him to return to South Africa when he took over after the 2003 World Cup fiasco. Montgomery cast a forlorn figure after Stephen Larkham's drop goal eliminated the 'Boks in the 1999 semi-final, trudging soaked from the pitch with his shoulders slumped - he will be hoping for a happier exit this time round.
Fourie du Preez
One of the younger generation who has emerged from the ashes of the 2003 World Cup fiasco. Rated by many as the best scrum-half in the world at the moment, the 25-year-old Blue Bulls star has been outstanding in the tournament and was man of the match in the record World Cup defeat of England (36-0) setting up all their tries with electric sniping runs which tore apart the England defence. He will be fortunate to be afforded such space this time round and with the wily Pichot covering every move of his, this will be a real test of his nerve and could prove pivotal to the outcome of the match. Quite remarkable really given he missed most of last season through injury and up to now will have only played a single figure number of matches all year. Mind you in those matches he has already won the Super 14 and could well end up with the Webb Ellis trophy.
John Smit
One of the few players who survived the clearout after the 2003 World Cup and has justified the faith placed in him by White both as hooker and as skipper. The 29-year-old has had an outstanding tournament and is the ideal ambassador for the 'Boks. He admits that the spirit within the squad is a vast improvement on 2003, though it would be scarcely credible if it was any worse. Returns to the Stade de France on Sunday to the scene of one of the highs of his career - inflicting a World Cup record defeat of 36-0 on England - and one of the lows where he copped a six week suspension for fracturing Jerome Thion's larynx in a 2005 test match. The Clermont-bound Smit will hope that he has two even bigger highs to come from visits to the Stade.
- AFP