Pumas upbeat ahead of opener

ARGENTINA, the lethal joker in the World Cup pack, have insisted they can shake off their injury worries and recent indifferent form to put the skids under group rivals France and Ireland.

The Pumas are in Group D with their northern hemisphere rivals, as well as make-weights Georgia and Namibia, but only two sides will make it through to the quarter-finals.

“The atmosphere in the squad is positive. We have had a lot of injuries but that’s in the past,” said skipper Agustin Pichot who is about to start his fourth World Cup.