Argentina eye second spot ‘ahead of Ireland’

ARGENTINA coach Marcelo Loffreda claims that his team will battle it out with Ireland for the second qualifying berth from Group D at the Rugby World Cup in France later this year.

The Pumas last game in the group will see them come up against Ireland after earlier clashes with Georgia and Namibia, and a tough opener against hosts France at the Stade de France, a game the coach described as complicated.

“It’s always them or us. France will be a difficult debut but Ireland are possibly the toughest rivals,” Loffreda said.

“We the Pumas or Ireland. These matches usually have just a one-point or two-point margin. The strongest team that day will win,” he said.

Argentina have just finished their tour of England which saw them claim two victories over club teams Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers, both seen by the coach as warm-ups to the World Cup.

“Goals were clear,” said Loffreda of the tour.

“One of them was to test some players, especially the ones who haven’t played in the national team for a long time, such as (Lucas) Ostiglia, (Martin) Gaitan and (Santiago) Gonzalez Bonorino.”

Meanwhile, Scotland prop Euan Murray will relish a weekend off club duty as he prepares to face the might of Italy’s forwards.

Of all the Scotland players who are being rested this weekend ahead of the arrival of Italy at Murrayfield next Saturday, Murray probably needs the break the most.

The 26-year-old tight-head faces the unenviable task of having to neutralise perhaps the most destructive scrum in world rugby but he is looking forward to the taking on Martin Castrogiovanni, Carlos Nieto, Andrea Lo Cicero and co.

“The Italians will be a massive challenge because they are one of the best scrummaging units in the world at the moment, but you have to be confident or you are already beaten,” said the Glasgow Warrior player.

Scotland got their first points on the board in this season’s 6 Nations Championship last week, with a hard-earned Murrayfield victory over Wales.