KEY POINTS:
PARIS - Argentina, scarred by their poor start against Australia in the opening match of the 2003 World Cup, are determined to show strict discipline when they face France in the 2007 tournament opener on Saturday (NZ time).
Argentina will play the opening game for the third World Cup in succession when they meet the hosts in a Pool D encounter at the Stade de France, having lost to Wales in 1999 and Australia four years ago.
Coach Marcelo Loffreda, in charge of the Pumas for a second World Cup, said the squad had analysed the 2003 match against the Australians in depth looking to ensure there was no repeat of their start that day in Sydney which ended with a 24-8 defeat.
"We gave away five penalties in the opening 20 minutes for going in early and that was a result of anxiety," Loffreda told reporters after naming his team for Friday's match.
"It's going to be very important how those opening minutes are played, when I think Argentina could become dominant.
"France are clearly the favourites, the whole setting will favour them but that could play against them.
"In that early arm-wrestling, it will be very important to remain disciplined and show self-control, not be too anxious."
Loffreda said the squad had collective ways of releasing their tension, generally with experienced players like lock Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and back Felipe Contepomi, both at their third World Cup, leading the sing-songs and party games.
Loffreda said he did not expect Argentina to face any provocation from their opponents.
"I don't fear provocation. It will be a hard, confrontational match but in rugby terms. I am confident that the referee will be impartial," he said.
Loffreda said team coaches and captains had received assurances that match officials would be strict about the ball being put into the scrums straight, rather than the tendency of recent years to allow a crooked throw.
"I hope they comply with that because for us that's very important in terms of fighting for the ball," Loffreda said.
Argentina have a particular method of scrummaging known as the bajadita ( "little drop ") which has the whole pack dropping low for a concerted push over the ball rather than an attempt to hook it back into possession.
He added that players pulling rivals away from mauls at lineouts by their necks would be penalised and might even be sent to the sin-bin.
ARGENTINA
15-Ignacio Corleto; 14-Lucas Borges, 13-Manuel Contepomi, 12-Felipe Contepomi, 11-Horacio Agulla; 10-Juan Martin Hernandez, 9-Agustin Pichot (captain); 8-Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7-Lucas Ostiglia, 6-Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 5-Patricio Albacete, 4-Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3-Martin Scelzo, 2-Mario Ledesma, 1-Rodrigo Roncero
Replacements: 16-Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17-Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, 18-Rimas Alvarez, 19-Martin Durand, 20-Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, 21-Federico Todeschini, 22-Hernan Senillosa.
- REUTERS
