A great achievement in Argentine history

PARIS: Argentina reaching the World Cup semifinals is one of the greatest achievements in the country's history, claimed coach Marcelo Loffreda after its 19-13 defeat of Scotland at the Stade de France.

The Pumas chief admitted that the team had not been as slick as in previous wins over hosts France and Ireland, but it would recover before Sunday's semifinal against 1995 champion South Africa.

"I think for Argentinian rugby this is a huge achievement," said Loffreda.

"Obviously we also look at all the work that has gone behind it to bring about today's (Sunday's) result.

"We have recorded the biggest success we could ever have imagined. It isn't over yet of course and we will do some hard work over the next weeks.

"This is hugely worthy, and to my mind one of the greatest achievements in Argentinian history."

Argentinian captain Agustin Pichot, who has been at the heart of the amazing progress made by the Pumas, who were also quarterfinalists in 1999, agreed that the team had not been able to keep up its high intensity game as on previous occasions.

"It was very tough," said the 33-year-old former Stade Francais scrum-half.

"We were playing one of the best sides in the world and lacked freshness after playing two really tough matches.

"We tried to change our tactics. Everything can become difficult and run out of your hands if you do that."

Loffreda said that he had not been happy with the lack of discipline shown by his side, though, it was the Scots who appeared to be penalized more often by French referee Joel Jutge.

"We still controled the game early in the second half, but we needed to be a bit more disciplined," said the coach.

"Perhaps it was from the 15th minute of the second-half we began to make mistakes and lose the ball.

"That is how they scored their try and all that generates nerves and emotions. You have to control those at this level."

Pichot, who is playing in his fourth World Cup, said that the great strength of the Pumas was how close they were to each other.

"It's very difficult to express how I feel at the moment and I can only praise the players," said Pichot.

"We are a really tight-knit family.

"Perhaps we are not the best, technically speaking, but we did everything in our power to achieve this and that is how we all feel.

"If you look at the English match (the Pumas won for the first time ever at Twickenham last November) we can be playing well or badly but if you play with your heart on your sleeve then that gives you something extra special.

"We are not talking about Pichot or Hernandez (fly-half Juan Martin) but a team. We all come together and work for each other."

AFP

(China Daily 10/09/2007 page24)