Revenge served piping-hot

Pool D Ireland v Argentina:If Ireland were nurturing any hopes that Argentina might be even slightly muddled or complacent in their approach to a match from which they need only a bonus point to top the pool, they can dispel them forthwith, writes Gerry Thornleyin Bordeaux.

Comments from the Pumas' camp in the build-up to this long-awaited rendezvous have made it abundantly clear that the Argentinians would like to evict Ireland from the World Cup more than any other team.

In part it's because they have the whiff of vengeance in their nostrils for being knocked out by Ireland four years ago, when they bore a grudge over being asked to play four pool games in 16 days. But primarily it's because of the lack of respect they feel Ireland have afforded them in the glut of eight meetings in the last eight years.

Quoted in the Argentinian newspaper Ole, fullback Ignacio Corleto said: "The goal is to win and finish first in our pool, that much is clear. But yes, it is true, there is a bit of revenge there. There is an added bonus of beating Ireland, and of course neither of the teams wants to lose.

"Eliminating Ireland would be nice," he added. "It would be perfect if we finish first and Ireland are knocked out of the World Cup."

Asked how quickly he wanted Sunday to arrive, Corleto said: "We really want to play this game. We've been waiting for it since the start of the World Cup. We've won every game so far and that's the one which is next, and that is good. We really want to play, I want to play, I want to beat them and I want them out of the World Cup."

The trickle of bad blood between the teams first emerged in that fateful World Cup quarter-final play-off in Lens in 1999, when the sight of Diego Albanese's celebrations and the understandably joyous dancing at the full-time whistle by the Argentinian players still provides painful memories for Irish players who played in or watched that game.

After Ireland's win in Adelaide four years later, coach Marcelo Loffreda and Agustin Pichot eloquently expressed the Pumas' us-against-the-world grudges over the organising scheduling of matches. "Now the IRB have the eight countries they wanted in the quarter-finals," observed Pichot bitterly from Buenos Aires.

The Irish camp were themselves bitter over allegations of gouging by some of the Argentinian players, and the Pumas' veteran frontrowers, Mauricio Reggiardo and Roberto Grau, were suspended for gouging and hand-raking.

However, the ill-feeling became a river of bad blood following Ireland's last-ditch, 21-19 win in a "friendly" in Lansdowne Road in November 2004.

Brian O'Driscoll angrily notified referee Tony Spreadbury of players being gouged, and Eddie O'Sullivan asked Italian match commissioner Alberto Recaldini to view a tape of the game because "we have six players who were gouged, five in the eyes and one in the mouth. One of the players has had stitches in the side of his eye. It's against the spirit of the game to gouge someone."

Argentina captain Pichot led a post-match outcry at Ireland, and O'Driscoll in particular, when he accused the home side of "unsporting" behaviour.

"Rugby should be played with ethics. Asking for yellow and red cards and crying for 40 minutes (in the second half), I think the Irish should have a little more than that. We didn't get respect from the Irish players. If I go on the field and start calling for players to be sent off, that's not rugby. Five times they asked for yellow cards and for fellas to be sent off."

A clearly annoyed O'Driscoll rejected Pichot's accusations. "Just to set the record straight, not once did I say we want a yellow card. I was just indicating to Tony that they were persistently infringing and that they weren't allowing us to have any fast ball, (I was) just bringing it to his attention. He said: 'Fair enough, I'll deal with it'. As far as I' m concerned, that's as far as it went, and because it was persistent, I said it to him a couple of times."

No Pumas were cited, and after Pichot had launched a passionate broadside at the IRB and the leading federations/unions over any manner of perceived slights, Loffreda wrote to O'Sullivan expressing his displeasure at the Irish coach's post-match accusations. The two coaches would not enjoy a warm relationship.

Even the first of last summer's two-Test series prompted Argentinian match-winner Felipe Contepomi to bemoan "cheap shots" by Irish players, and the Puma camp let it be known that their video analysis had found over 30 incidents of foul play by Irish players. It's a faintly ridiculous claim.

Even so, in Argentina's biggest selling daily Clarin, Contepomi was quoted as saying: "I've been at Leinster for four years and a game of rugby will not make me lose the friendship I have with some players, because I have a strong relationship with D'Arcy, who is a really good friend and often comes to my place. He is a very decent person and a complete number 12.

"Hickie, who is retiring after this World Cup; Horgan, who is a great ball-carrier and when he's on song has great skills, and of course Brian O'Driscoll, who is the best centre in the world, and Girvan Dempsey."

However, for all those friendships, Contepomi made it clear he did not like O'Sullivan, "and I don't like some of his attitude (towards Argentina) in the past".

Again, the feeling would probably be mutual, while Contepomi said of Ronan O'Gara that "he speaks on the field and is always looking for trouble on the field".

"Maybe because of the strong rivalry between Leinster and Munster, I have had words with O'Callaghan and Leamy, but I try to leave that on the field. If I see them I say 'hi' to them, but they are not my friends and I would not invite them to my table."

They would be unlikely to reciprocate anyway.

Asked if there was any slagging before the tournament, Contepomi said: "Before the World Cup everybody was respectful and I did the same for my part."

So, round nine on Sunday. It seems it will be ever thus between these two.

Eight meetings in eight years: How a bitter rivalry was born

August 28th, 1999 (Lansdowne Road)

Ireland 32, Argentina 24

A Matt Mostyn hat-trick helped Ireland into a commanding 32-3 lead in this World Cup warm-up but Grizz Wyllie's introduction of Agustin Pichot (two tries), Felipe Contepomi, Ignacio Corleto and Martin Scelzo saw the Pumas score 21 unanswered points. An ominous warning.

October 20th, 1999, Lens

World Cup quarter-final play-off

Argentina 28, Ireland 24

Stuart Dickinson hardly moved the whistle from his mouth in a painstakingly stop-start affair. David Humphreys kicked seven penalties and a drop goal but the introduction of Contepomi for Corleto, with Gonzalo Quesada moving to fullback, resulted in a Diego Albanese try and Ireland pummelling the Puma line through seven minutes of stoppage time.

June 3rd, 2000, Buenos Aires

Argentina 34, Ireland 23

With Rob Henderson (one try) and Justin Bishop (two tries) shredding the Puma defence Ireland led for much of the first 50 minutes, outscoring their hosts by four tries to three, but Humphreys' kicking was awry and a rousing final quarter and Quesada's boot steered Argentina home in their first home game since the 1999 World Cup.

November 23rd, 2003, Lansdowne Road

Ireland 16, Argentina 7

On a rain-sodden day in Dublin, the two teams aquaplaned for 80 minutes. Victor Costello made a host of close-in ball carries as Ronan O'Gara's boot and a try by the excellent Girvan Dempsey overcame an early charge-down try by Rolando Martin.

October 26th, 2003, Adelaide

World Cup pool match

Ireland 16, Argentina 15

Revenge for Lens as, with the Pumas already having lost to Australia in the tournament opener, an Alan Quinlan try and the introduction of Ronan O'Gara helped Ireland escape from their shackles and put the Pumas out, but not without the scare of a late long-range drop goal attempt by Corleto on another nail-bitingly tense day.

November 27th, 2004, Lansdowne Road

Ireland 21, Argentina 19

Argentina scored the game's only try but O'Gara's five penalties out of five and a second drop goal at the death earned the tightest of wins. Afterwards, the bad blood turned into a river of ill-feeling.

May 26th, 2007, Santa Fe

Argentina 22, Ireland 20

The first of a two-Test series, with both sides well short of full-strength, and the third meeting in a row with only a kick in it. Ireland played well, but ultimately Felipe Contepomi was the difference between the sides, landing four penalties to keep Argentina in touch, then setting up Henri Senillosa's try before landing a decisive drop goal.

June 2nd, 2007, Buenos Aires

Argentina 16, Ireland 0

With Dr Phil in Dublin being conferred, twin brother Manuel Contepomi took up the gauntlet by scoring the late blindside try off a scrum which augmented the trusty boot of Federico Todeschini in a dour encounter.