Rugby World Cup: Pumas lock not picking favourites

Despite what Argentina lock Manuel Carizza might tell you, he is more than just a "frustrated soccer player".

The 2.02m lock is one of only a few members of the Argentinian squad who speak fluent English and the 27-year-old was entertaining as he spoke about his background.

He said he learned to speak English as a 6-year-old and is now competent in Spanish, English, French and speaks "a little bit" of Italian.

Coming from football-mad Argentina, where the round-ball code is more than just the national game, Carizza laughed when asked if he didn't become a footballer because he was too big.

"You said it ... They say that all Argentina rugby players are frustrated soccer players," he said.

Carizza said impromptu games of football were commonplace among the squad and everyone played the game back in his homeland.

"We all do. It's like rugby here. Every square you have a football pitch."

The 120kg lineout maestro, who has earned 21 international caps since his debut against South Africa in 2004, grew up as a fan of Club Atltico Newell's Old Boys, who were Lionel Messi's first club before he became a household name at Barcelona.

But enough of the football talk, Argentina are in Wellington to do a job and it is certainly a big one. The Pumas have a pivotal Pool B encounter with Scotland on Sunday night and it's a match that looms as the biggest of Carizza's career, which has spanned nearly 100 professional games.

"Pretty much, I think. It's a World Cup and this is the game, so you could say that," he said.

After Argentina dropped their opening fixture to England they can't lose again if they want to progress to the knockout stages of the tournament, while Scotland have opened their campaign with wins over minnows Romania and Georgia.

Carizza, who has played for Biarritz Olympique in France since 2005, will also feel like a part of home has travelled with him to New Zealand as his parents, Carlos and Dolores, have made the journey to be at the game on Sunday.

As for the game, the pundits have anointed Argentina as the favourites, but Scotland beat the Pumas twice in South America last year, 24-16 and 13-9.

Carizza didn't want to get in to the talk about who was the perceived favourite.

"I don't like to think about that, I prefer not to. Each time we thought we were favourites, the game went not very good for us. So I think that's not a good position for Argentina. So we prefer not to think about that and play our game.

"They know how to play to us. I think there is no big surprises in what they do ... But they break our game."

And, as for suggestions of a likely quarter-final against the All Blacks if they were to win this weekend, well that was a bit too much crystal-ball gazing.

"That's big. We prefer to think game at a time and go slowly. We know we have been doing well, but we know if we don't stay 100 per cent concentrated on our goals we can do very bad rugby. So we try to stay focused."

Since Argentina's heroic third-placing at the last World Cup in 2007 there has been plenty of expectation placed on the team and Carizza said everyone dealt with the external pressure before a big game in their own way.

"Personally, I don't try to think a lot of the game during my free time. I just concentrate when I train and watch video. But in my free time I try not to think about it that much, now because it's a huge thing. So, you can, how we say in Spanish, play the game before in the week. So the important thing is to play it on Sunday."