KEY POINTS:
When Argentina were drawn alongside France and Ireland in Pool D of the World Cup, the tournament's 'group of death' was christened.
France, in particular, will continue to glance nervously at their competition curtain raiser on September 7 given their dismal record against the Pumas since 2002.
Until a nailbiting 27-26 defeat by Les Bleus at the Stade de France last
November, Argentina had won the previous four meetings between the sides.
With so many of their professionals playing in the French domestic league, the Pumas have a wealth of inside knowledge on their rivals and will be eager to put it to good use once again.
France will enter the World Cup as RBS 6 Nations champions but this is no vintage Les Bleus side bristling with forward menace and three-quarter genius.
Instead, the attacking instincts that used to light up the Test arena have been dulled by a dogmatic safety-first approach that is tailor made for the ever-physical Argentinians.
Coach Bernard Laporte knows that if his team are undercooked for the opener then their hopes of winning a first World Cup will have been dealt a terrible early blow.
So too Ireland, whose second string were given a mauling over two Tests during their summer tour to continue their record of never having won in the South American nation.
Matches between the sides have always been desperately close, with Ireland winning the most crucial recent meeting in 2003, edging the game 16-15 to book their place in the World Cup knockout stages.
Argentina had been struck by the curse of the minor nation, hamstrung from the start by a punishing schedule that forced them to play four games in two weeks.
In contrast, Ireland played the same number of games over the course of a month and this time similar demands have been placed on the rivals.
The victory in Australia was revenge for the Emerald Isle's embarrassing
defeat in the 1999 World Cup, when the Pumas triumphed 28-24 in a quarter-final play-off to reach the last eight for the first time.
Argentina's game has traditionally been based around a fearsome forward pack spearheaded by a brutal front row that has frequently been the envy of the world.
High importance is placed on scrummaging, which the Pumas view as the key battleground in the game, as many opponents have discovered to their cost.
Patricio Noriega was famously poached by Australia after starring in the 1995 World Cup and Argentina's production line of world-class props briefly paused.
But to suggest they are a one-dimensional side only capable of grinding out victories up front would do a grave injustice to an ever-improving backline.
The stars of the team are veteran half-back duo Agustin Pichot and Felipe Contepomi, a mercurial duo who each have the ability to single handedly turn a match.
At 32, Pichot will almost certainly be competing at his last World Cup but the diminutive Stade Francais half-back remains the heartbeat of his side, a wily and experienced campaigner.
On his day, Contepomi can be one of the most dangerous fly-halves in Testrugby, with his prodigious boot matching his devastating playmaking skills, although he can be temperamental.
Stade Francais is home to two more big-name Puma three-quarters, with Juan Martin Hernandez, dubbed `The Magician', and Ignacio Corleto expected to make an impact at the tournament.
The amateur ethos continues to prevail in Argentina so the nation's top
players must travel to Europe if they are to become professional, with France their favoured destination.
Hooker Mario Ledesma, a veteran of the 1999 and 2003 World Cups, plays for Clermont Auvergne and will lead the Puma assault up front.
The Guinness Premiership also supplies several players to the national squad, with London Irish number eight Juan Manuel Leguizamon and Leicester loosehead Marcos Ayerza the pick of them.
Argentinian progress has been hampered by a lack of regular competition, with campaigns to grant them admission into either the Six Nations or Tri-Nations meeting with little success.
Autumn tours provide some exposure to Test rugby - last November they
registered a famous 25-18 victory over England, their first at Twickenham - but a team that lies sixth in the world rankings deserves better.
Guiding the side is Marcelo Loffreda, a highly-respected coach and former Pumas centre whose success has earnt him a contract with Premiership side Leicester after the World Cup.
The 48-year-old has helped transform Argentina from a side capable of pulling off a shock result to a genuine force that would not look out of place in the semi-finals.
Some may lament their misfortune at being drawn alongside Ireland and France in the pool stages, but their rivals will be feeling equally nervous at the prospect of falling victim to one of the sport's growing powerhouses.
- PA SPORT
