Pumas lose their inspirational captain

IN losing captain Lisandro Arbizu to injury Argentina will be without their most symbolic player for the Rugby World Cup.

Halfback Agustin Pichot may be the Pumas' talisman, but centre Arbizu, a veteran of three World Cups, symbolises their progress in the 1990s that culminated in their quarter-final place in the last World Cup.

Arbizu suffered a knee injury in a practice game in Tucuman at the weekend and ruled himself out of the tournament even before undergoing tests to determine the extent of the damage. He was sure he had snapped cruciate ligaments in his right knee, having done the same in 1994.