Team profile: Argentina

Argentina will make their seventh World Cup appearance this year. Photo / Getty Images

Argentina were the darlings of the last World Cup falling one game short of the final. Can they do it again?

Team bio:
World Cup Appearances: 6
Last World Cup result: 3rd place
Best-ever RWC: 3rd place, 2007
Ranking: 9
Head Coach: Santiago Phelan
Key Player: Felipe Contepomi, skipper, goalkicker, backline organiser. He'll need broad shoulders.

Overview:
No country has made the strides in recent years to compare with Argentina.

When they first turned up at the Cup in 1987, they had the marvellous Hugo Porta running the show, some lively backs and not much else.

Four years ago, Argentina finished third, and there was nothing fluky about it. First off they ruined France's opening night party with a 17-12 win at Stade de France. After Georgia and Namibia were seen off, Ireland were dispatched 30-15.

Argentina reached the last four with a 19-13 win over Scotland before South Africa proved a game too far, winning the semifinal 37-13.

Then, to cap off a hugely satisfying campaign, Argentina gave France a second duffing, 34-10 in the third-fourth playoff.

They'll do well to match that achievement this time.

For starters, Argentina have lost their key figure, Juan Martin Hernandez, a world-class first five-eighth, to a knee injury.

Ten players remain from the gang of 2007, including captain Felipe Contepomi, No 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 34-year-old prop Rodrigo Roncero, and indefatigable hooker Mario Ledesma, 38, back for his third tournament.

To try to balance that a shade, coach Santiago Phelan has included three newcomers in lock Tomas Vallejos, prop Maximiliano Bustos and wing Agustin Gosio.

Phelan can't be accused of living in the past.

"It's difficult to compare now to 2007," he said. "We will do our best to win that first game, win every game in our pool, but we have a different identity to 2007. It was good for Argentinian rugby, but now we have to do our best at this World Cup."

In the absence of Hernandez, much will rest on Contepomi, a qualified doctor who must kick the goals, and run the show at No 10.

Bet on Argentina looking to base their game around forward strength. They've rarely been short of hard, rugged men who love to scrum and maul. They looked pretty average in losing 28-13 to Wales in their last leadup and they're in a tricky group, along with England and Scotland.

"I'm convinced if we prepare in an excellent way we could even beat England, which is not to say we are better than them or Scotland," said Contepomi. "Both countries are above us in the rankings, but that does not mean the Pumas won't qualify for the quarter-finals."

Still, repeating the heroics of 2007 might be beyond them.

Fixtures:
Pool B
Saturday September 10 v England, Otago Stadium (Dunedin)
Saturday September 17 v Romania, Rugby Park Stadium (Invercargill)
Sunday September 25 v Scotland, Wellington Regional Stadium (Wellington)
Sunday October 2 v Georgia, Arena Manawatu (Palmerston North)

- HERALD ONLINE