Retired Australian rugby player John Eales. Photo / Greg Bowker
PARIS - Argentina will make history on Sunday by beating South Africa in the World Cup semi-final according to two-time World Cup winner John Eales.
The Australian legend believes the style of play of the Pumas will frustrate the Springboks and the team that started the tournament off
with a shock victory over the hosts France can cause another one.
"I think the Latino dream will continue another couple of weeks," said Eales, who was a member of the side that beat England to win in 1991 and captained the 1999 side to victory over France.
"The basics of the team are good, they have frustrated many teams so far. You can't discount them (after) winning the match at the start (against France) and if you play 10 times you might win two or three so this might be one of those two or three."
Eales equated the state of Argentinian rugby to how it was in Australia in 1991 and praised them for seizing their chance and promoting their cause to be included in either the Six Nations or Tri Nations, though, the IRB prefer they opt for the latter.
"This has been a really important World Cup for them," said the former lock.
"What I like is the way they've done it.
"They've said 'we've got the opportunity to prove ourselves' and they've gone and done it.
"It looks like they're having fun out there. You can't underestimate them. They're not that much different to Australia at the 1991 World Cup where we put rugby on the agenda (in Australia).
"What I hear about Argentina, is that it's similar there at the moment. Even a football game got moved to a different time.
"The interest is huge and it has to be capitalised on. This is them crying out for a platform and we must give them a platform to build on."
For Eales the general performances of the 'minnows' at the tournament has persuaded him to rethink whether it should be reduced to 16 for the next edition in New Zealand in 2011.
"If you have regular opportunity to test and engage yourself with the best in the world it will lift the playing level and I think that that is what we have seen in the World Cup," said Eales.
"For Portugal to have scored a try (against New Zealand) that is a moral victory and an absolute boost for them and I think that is encouraging.
"Prior to the World Cup I was sceptical that 20 was too many teams and could have been reduced down to 16, but they way the teams have played I think it has been great."
- AFP
