Let’s stand and deliver

AT long last, it’s time for the talking to stop and the real action to begin.

Ireland’s World Cup challenge gets under way in this pleasant, understated city tomorrow when Keith Wood and his players take on Argentina in a seminal rugby moment for both nations.

This one will dictate which goes through to the quarter-finals in two weeks. It will also demonstrate whether Eddie O’Sullivan’s gamble in plumping for an untried back-row formation was an inspired move or whether his Argentine counterpart, Marcelo Loffreda, holds the upper-hand where planning is concerned.

Loffreda finally got around to announcing his team at 9.30pm last night and it includes eight of their victorious 1999 team, Ignacio Corleto, Diego Albanese, Gonzalo Quesada, Agustin Pichot, Gonzalo Longo, Rolando Martin, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Mauricio Reggiardo.

“That was four years ago and is past history,” Loffreda declared. “These are two different teams and we will focus on this game and nothing else. This was going to be our side for a long time regardless of who Ireland picked. The most difficult choices were in the three-quarters and the first and third rows. Nobody is ruled out by injury but some had old injuries and that is why we had to wait until finalising the team.”

They had something of a scare yesterday when key man and captain Pichot was unable to train and stayed in bed nursing what Loffreda described as “a slight fever and headache but which won't prevent him from playing. They trained for an hour and 40 minutes, the first time as a team according to Loffreda, yet another direct Argentine reference to having to play four matches in 17 days as against the 22 afforded the Irish. “We can still win this game in spite of the hurdles placed in our way,” ventured the coach.

Which, of course, is all water off O’Sullivan’s back. On the other hand, how seriously can you take O'Sullivan when he extols the virtues of the Argentine pack as one of the greatest the game has known and now yesterday's pronouncement that they possess “arguably the most dangerous back three in the competition from broken play. Everybody does focus on their forward pack but this is an Argentinian team that packs a lot of strengths.”

There is little doubt Argentina are a powerful forward unit and even the most ardent Irish fan will be surprised if we don't struggle in the scrums. Equality there would be a major plus for Ireland whose game plan is clearly to capitalise on very obvious shortcomings in the Pumas line-out. The problems in this area begin with the throwing in of their hooker, in this case Federico Mendez. He and the other regular number two, Mario Ledesma, have struggled to hit a barn door not to mind their frustrated jumpers.

Lobbe and Rimas Alvarez while the second-row pair themselves have limitations well-known to the Irish camp because of their club affiliations to Castres and Perpignan.

This is an area in which the Irish must thrive. They have middle of the line experts in Malcolm O'Kelly and Paul O’Connell and expect Alan Quinlan, especially, and Victor Costello to claim more than their fair share at the back. Clean possession from this source would provide two vital benefits for Ireland - the space and freedom for Peter Stringer and David Humphreys to dictate the trend at half-back and just as importantly prevent the Pumas from taking off on the rolling mauls which can cause so much disarray in the opposing ranks.

Failure in this area, however, could cripple the Irish challenge. Think of it conversely and you visualise Mendez, Roberto Grau, Omar Hasan, Rolando Martin and the rest shoving the ball up their jerseys and pushing the Irish back relentlessly with their energy-sapping, driving mauls, all the time with Pichot urging and driving them on with the experience and canny know-how he possesses in abundance.

Okay, out-half Quesada is no football genius but he kicks usefully in open play and when it comes to knocking the penalties between the posts, well, then he has few betters. It was he who converted Albanese's try with a great touchline kick that made all the difference that fateful night in Lens four years ago. Albanese is there again as part of O'Sullivan’s “most dangerous back three in world rugby,” and still poses a threat along with full-back Corleto and right winger Nunez Piossek.

“We said from the outset that reaching the quarter-finals was our goal so that makes this game a pretty big one which ever way you dice it,” O'Sullivan said. “I suppose nobody wants to be judged on one match as a team or an outfit but whether we like it or not, we'll be judged on Sunday which is harsh but that’s reality.

“The important thing is a good result because we know a win will see us realise our original goal. We’d hoped we’d get to the penultimate game knowing that and so it's a very clear picture.”

Nothing negative in those words. Yes, Ireland have the individual talent to win this one. Just look at the thundering current form of forwards like Keith Wood (whom you suspect is set to produce one of the great performances of his illustrious career), John Hayes, O'Connell, Quinlan and Costello and the poise and confidence of Humphreys and Stringer at half-back and the scoring prowess of Denis Hickie.

Which brings us to Brian O'Driscoll. If he reaches the heights of which he is capable, Ireland will win. If he continues in his recent, mundane form and kicks away possession in the most unlikely and useless of situations, it could be another Lens.

We’re walking a tightrope here tomorrow. O’Driscoll can and should be our safety net.