Argentina may have been converted to the joys and rewards of running rugby in the last three years, but the nation’s umbilical cord with physical forward play and their devotion to the scrum, in particular, remain embedded in the collective psyche.

Argentina 45 Tonga 16: Argentina captain Agustin Creevy revealed Diego Maradona’s dressing room dance has driven them to push for Rugby World Cup glory.

Argentina 54 Georgia 9: Argentina are at that stage of development where they are potentially both giants and giant-killers at this World Cup, and, having come up short in their attempts to stun the All Blacks last Sunday, the key objective for them in Gloucester yesterday was not to become the victims of shock.

European Champions Cup

Leicester put indifferent domestic form behind them as they made a strong start to their European Rugby Champions Cup Group Three campaign by sinking Ulster at Welford Road.

Clermont 22 Leicester 16

Leicester 19 Ulster 22

Toulon 21 Leicester Tigers 15

Wales 12 Argentina 26

GLASGOW WARRIORS maintained their pursuit of Leinster in Heineken Cup Pool Three with a 20-15 victory over Montpellier at Firhill.

ULSTER could not breach Leicester’s tryline at Welford Road on Saturday as the home side dug out an important win over a determined Ulster at Welford Road.

ARGENTINA captain Felipe Contepomi looked ahead to the World Cup quarter-final with New Zealand after his side sealed their place in the knockout stages with a 25-7 win over Georgia at Arena Manawatu in Palmerston North.

Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza will miss the Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Leinster on Saturday after being handed a two-week ban by the RFU.

GREG FEEK has earned his crust since leaving New Zealand and his post with the Hurricanes by moving to Dublin to find a cure for Leinster — and then Ireland’s — ailing scrums.

LEICESTER prop Marcos Ayerza will miss this weekend’s Heineken Cup quarter-final clash against Leinster after being given a two-week suspension by the Rugby Football Union.

Ireland conclude their autumn series against Argentina today hoping to end a disappointing month with victory over their fierce rivals.

ARGENTINA will arrive in Dublin on the back of an error-strewn 15-9 defeat to France in Montpellier.

LEICESTER director of rugby Richard Cockerill praised the intensity of his side’s performance after they hammered the Scarlets at Welford Road to take control of Heineken Cup Pool 5.

LEINSTER shipped five tries in a friendly defeat by English champions Leicester at Welford Road last night. There was little in it at half-time after Ian McKinley’s try had helped keep the visitors within six points at 20-14.

Leicester Tigers 37 Leinster 14, Welford Road

Argentina loose-head prop Marcos Ayerza has signed a new contract with Leicester.

ARGENTINA bounced back from their home series defeat by Scotland in style with a record thrashing of Six Nations champions France in Buenos Aires.

WALES’ greatest Test match kicker Neil Jenkins led the applause after Shane Williams and company did their utmost to prove running rugby is not extinct.

LEICESTER captain Martin Corry admits his side’s Heineken Cup hopes are “out of their hands” after sinking to a 22-11 defeat in Toulouse.

RESPECT and confidence are the two key ingredients as Argentina seek to qualify for the knock-out stages of the World Cup against Ireland in Paris on Sunday.

Argentina trio Juan Martin Hernandez, Marcos Ayerza and Federico Todeschini have been ruled out of Saturday’s World Cup Group D game against Namibia.

Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda has made three changes to his squad for Saturday‘s second Test against Ireland.

WASPS captain Lawrence Dallaglio last night hailed the Londoners’ Heineken Cup final victory over Leicester as the greatest Twickenham final of his glittering career.

LLANELLI SCARLETS have marched imperiously on Europe this season – but captain Simon Easterby believes they will need to “raise the bar” in today’s semi-final showdown against Leicester at the Walkers Stadium.

Leicester are still sweating on the availability of prop Marcos Ayerza for tomorrow's Heineken Cup semi-final showdown with Llanelli Scarlets.

LEICESTER kept alive their hopes of an unprecedented trophy treble by stunning French Championship leaders Stade Francais to book a place in the Heineken Cup semi-finals.

LEICESTER blew a disjointed Bourgoin side away in the first half to keep their Heineken Cup hopes alive.

RONAN O’GARA wasn’t gloating afterwards, he was just pleased to have knocked over a long range penalty to kick Munster to a well deserved Heineken Cup victory at Welford Road yesterday.

The Argentinian national team have lost three key players for the May 23 duel against the Lions in Cardiff.

The Argentinian national team have lost three key players for the May 23 duel against the Lions in Cardiff.