World Cup defeat fires Argentines

DUBLIN - Buoyed by victory over France, Argentina go into tomorrow's international against Ireland looking to further bolster their claims to a place among rugby's top nations and exact revenge for a painful World Cup defeat.

The match at Lansdowne Rd promises a fascinating clash of styles, pitting the powerful conquerors of the Six Nations champions against a lively Irish side, who began their November test campaign with a 17-12 win over Tri-Nations champions South Africa.

Ireland have won all three of the sides' previous encounters in Dublin, but it is the 16-15 victory in Adelaide in October last year, which denied Argentina a place in the World Cup quarter-finals, that the Pumas remember most keenly.

"From an Argentine point of view, we remember that Ireland were the team that left us without anything in the World Cup," said first five-eighth Felipe Contepomi, who is based in Dublin with Irish provincial side Leinster.

"It was quite frustrating that day, [losing] by just a single point."

Contepomi will face seven of his Leinster team-mates in Ireland's starting XV, with coach Eddie O'Sullivan reverting to the side who beat the Springboks after giving some fringe players a run in last weekend's 55-6 thrashing of the United States.

"We want to win every game," O'Sullivan said. "You can't say `it's only the autumn tests so let's experiment like mad'."

Argentina have named an unchanged side, sticking with the players who stunned the French 24-14 in Marseille last weekend.

Ireland have always been wary of the Argentine reputation as powerful scrummagers, but have taken heart from the way their pack performed against the physical South Africans.

Another key match-up will be in the inside backs, where Contepomi lines up opposite Ronan O'Gara - scorer of all Ireland's points against the Springboks - and Argentine captain Agustin Pichot faces the hustling Peter Stringer.

- Reuters