Marcelo Loffreda, coach of Argentina's rugby team Los Pumas. Photo / Reuters
PARIS - Coach Marcelo Loffreda will send out his Pumas against Scotland in their World Cup quarter-final on Sunday (1900 GMT) hoping to write a new page in Argentina's rugby history.
Argentina can reach the semi-finals for the first time with victory at the Stade de France, having
lost their only previous quarter-final to France in Dublin in 1999.
"This is the most important game we have ever played," Loffreda said on Friday.
"Not only for the squad, the 45 people working and playing here, but for rugby in Argentina," he told a news conference at the team's Paris hotel.
"We know we have a responsibility to play with our whole being," he said after naming an unchanged team from that which beat Ireland 30-15 last weekend to take top place in their pool.
"The players have worked very hard on the mentality things. These massive events are very difficult to manage mentally. You want to play (the game) before playing."
Loffreda said he expected his team's toughest match of the tournament so far despite Scotland being cast in the role of underdogs after an 18-16 win over Italy saw them finish second in their pool.
"We know Scotland, they are bravehearts, they are brave people," Loffreda said.
"They are in a final situation, you can't come back from that."
Loffreda expects the Scottish defence to be hard to break down.
"They have an excellent defence, organised along the lines of rugby league," he said.
"They will try to take us out in the first confrontation of the forward packs."
He added that Argentina would have ways of dealing with the very heavy Scottish pack.
"It's not only about weight, it's also about technique. We hope to meet them up front with our technique, that's maybe the difference."
- REUTERS
