Pumas focused despite hype

RIMAS ALVAREZ KAIRELIS is confident Argentina will let their rugby do the talking after seeing the hype around the squad reach unprecedented levels following their qualification for the World Cup knockout stages.

The Pumas are being tipped as genuine title contenders after coming through Ireland’s Pool D — dubbed the ‘Group of Death’ — unbeaten, and they have a winnable last-eight tie with Scotland coming up this weekend.

They have risen to fourth in the IRB world rankings, and the football-mad nation has turned rugby crazy as a result of their achievements so far this tournament.