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PARIS - Argentina reached new heights when they beat Ireland 30-15 today to reach the World Cup rugby quarterfinals for the second time, this time doing so as pool winners.
With Gonzalo Longo a brilliant leader of the pack and captain Agustin Pichot showing his usual sharp generalship to marshal the backs, Argentina won the tactical battle.
First five-eighth Juan Martin Hernandez slotted three dropped goals and carried out coach Marcelo Loffreda's tactics of putting Ireland on the back foot with high balls deep into their territory.
Ireland, who shared the try count at 2-2, were under pressure to win with four tries and by seven points to survive in the tournament but could not muster enough of their once brilliant form.
The Pumas' victory at the Parc des Princes consigned France, whom Argentina upset in the tournament's opening match, to second place in the pool and a quarterfinal against title favourites New Zealand in Cardiff next Sunday (NZT).
Argentina, having won their four games, will be regarded by the majority of observers as favourites to beat Scotland in their quarterfinal at the Stade de France.
Pichot, however, said: "I don't like statistics or rankings. Scotland have proved they are in the eight best teams in the world when they were written off.
"We were also written off when we arrived and now we are here, but we can't afford to go into a game thinking we are better (than our opponents)," he said.
When Argentina upset Ireland 28-24 in 1999 to reach the last eight for the first time it was in a playoff they qualified for as the best third-placed team of the pool stage.
The Irish played their part in an exciting match but their backs were often caught dithering as to how to handle the Pumas' kicks, whether to initiate running attacks or kick back.
Centre Felipe Contepomi kicked 11 points from three penalties and a conversion to become the tournament's top scorer with 53 points.
Wing Lucas Borges put the first points on the board with his third try of the tournament.
From a ruck on the right, Pichot chose the blindside and passed to Borges who barged his way past two men to touch down.
The try was followed by the first of Hernandez's dropped goals but Ireland then became the first team in the tournament to score a try against Argentina with captain Brian O'Driscoll darting through a gap in the centre of the defence.
Hernandez restored Argentina's lead with another brilliant dropped goal before the Pumas took an 18-10 advantage into halftime with a superb try initiated by the first five-eighth's up-and-under.
From a ruck, Pichot chose the blindside again and Borges, having cut across from the right, passed to fellow wing Horacio Agulla, who touched down in the corner.
Ireland scored another try early in the second half and belief grew in the large Irish presence in the near capacity crowd that their team could get the four they needed.
From a lineout on the left, the ball was fed quickly down the line and the Argentine cover was caught a man short, fullback Geordan Murphy going over to bring Ireland to within six points.
Argentina's tactical discipline, though, allowed the Pumas to wrest back control of the match with Contepomi's penalties and Hernandez's third dropped goal rounding off the victory.
- REUTERS
