O'Callaghan delighted to get one over old enemy

Donncha O'Callaghan has exposed the depth of hostility that exists between Ireland and Argentina after the latest installment of the fierce rivalry saw Declan Kidney's side win 17-3 at Croke Park yesterday to ensure an eighth place in the rankings for the upcoming World Cup draw.

Argentina skipper Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe summed up the  feeling among his players when he signed off his press conference by saying, "they won this time but there will be revenge."

Victory may have guaranteed a precious spot among the second seeds for the World Cup, but O'Callaghan was more interested in savouring a treasured Pumas scalp.

"A lot of the players weren't thinking that far ahead to the draw or about the rankings," he said. "There's a fair bit of niggle between Argentina and Ireland. Personally I don't like them and they'd probably say the same about me.

"Make no bones about it, when you play them you know it will be tough. I respect them but when you seek their players out after a match they look to keep their own company.

"That's the way it is sometimes in sport. Some fellas you get on with and some you don't. That builds up through games. We don't like each other. They don't like us either. They're not totally at fault, at times we've given them reason not to like us.

"We're both passionate about rugby and it's not a bad thing to have teams who care about playing for their country. But the dislike does make it more satisfying when we beat them. A few times we've been beaten they've had no problem rubbing it in. We wanted to get one up on them yesterday.

"When they're in the dressing room they'll probably remember all of the smart-ass comments one or two of the fellas made. We lost at the World Cup and experienced that feeling ourselves."

O'Callaghan also insisted that Ronan O'Gara's comments during the week had hit the right nerve amongst the camp.
   
"Ronan is a senior pro and when he comes out with lines like that it forces all of us to up our game. He sets the standard," said O'Callaghan.

"He led from the front and we have a lot of respect for him. He gave us the kick up the ass we needed. He wasn't pointing the finger, he was saying it about all of us. The fellas fronted up but we can't just front up for one match.

"Hunger and desire should be non-negotiable when you pull on an Ireland jersey."