Pumas pose threat to All Blacks

Corleto scores a try for the Pumas at Murrayfield

Buoyed by recent successes over Scotland and Wales, Argentina believe they can cause an upset in a fortnight when they meet New Zealand in Buenos Aires.

The Pumas forwards will fancy their chances against the All Blacks after Sunday's 25-16 win over Scotland at Murrayfield.

Coach Marcelo Loffreda, a centre who played with the great Hugo Porta in the 1980s, believes the current Pumas side can compete with the world's best.

"We have faced all the Six Nations in the last two years and the only ones we haven't beaten are England and France."

Argentina are on a high after victory over Scotland

Loffreda is not alone in predicting a rosy future for the Argentines.

Veteran captain Lisandro Arbizu told Argentine newspaper Clarin: "We're gradually incorporating new things from modern rugby.

"What helps is that a lot of us are playing abroad (as professionals), and the boys who are in Argentina are blending in well."

Argentina have traditionally struggled against southern hemisphere opponents and lost their last meeting with the All Blacks 67-19 in June.

If they are to gain revenge the Pumas will rely on one of the most feared packs in world rugby.

"It's a source of pride to be respected in this way, and a responsibility," said prop Mauricio Reggiardo, who plays for French side Castres.

"There is one objective - to win the ball and get clean ball out of the fixed and loose formations to bring the three-quarters into the game.

We have faced all the Six Nations in the last two years and the only ones we haven't beaten are England and France

Marcelo Loffreda
Argentina coach

"It's not that if we win the forward battle the match will be ours', because against New Zealand (in June) we won that and still lost the game. But a good part of the story is to dominate there."

An indication of the depth of coach Loffreda's squad is the fact that Gonzalo Queseda, the top points scorer in the last World Cup, was on the bench in Cardiff and Edinburgh.

In his place was Bristol's Felipe Contemponi, who has matured over the last year into a player that can steer Argentina to bigger things.

The Pumas backs also run beautifully with the ball, as witnessed by Gonzalo Camardon's try in the corner against Wales and Ignacio Corleto's under the posts against Scotland.

Ireland showed what can be done against New Zealand in the first half of their match in Dublin on Saturday.

But the key is to keep the pressure on for 80 minutes. And that is something the Pumas must continue to improve on.