There is something beguiling about watching the Argentine team on the rugby pitch. They have something that is so lacking in all of the other big teams in the upper echelons of world rugby. The likes of the home nations are devoid of one simple thing: Passion.

Passion for during a game as if it is the last to ever be played, passion for team work and camaraderie, and passion for the beautiful anticipation of a clock surely, and ultimately counting down to its end. This is passion that only the black sheep of the IRB Top Ten could display. And passion that is sorely lacking from Wales.

Argentina are in the very real prospect of getting a medal in the 6^th Rugby World Cup. The quarter final match with Scotland should pose no real problem for the Pumas, owing to a lack in form from those north of Hadrian’s Wall, but that’s not to say they will be easy. However, they should put at least 40 points on them, if the fires are burning the way that they did against France and Ireland.

It was interesting to see the Argies constantly smile. Even when they are down, they are not out, and they revel in the opportunity to cement victory and fight to the dying end of 80 minutes. Fiji have similar traits, and it seems that these second tier countries are no longer to be toyed with in major tournaments.

And it is a breath of fresh air to see this sportsmanship in professional rugby. You get the distinct impression that the Argentina team love what they do. Case in point, Agustin Pichot’s remarkable grace during the narrow defeat to Wales was of the same tone as his enthusiasm for beating the Lion (cubs) in 2005 in the Millennium Stadium. In fact...a lot seems to happen to Argentina in Cardiff.

At the time of writing, Argentina are ranked the fourth highest in the world (IRB Rankings 1st Oct 2007). I cannot see how this status can rule them out of either the 6 Nations or the Tri-nations any longer. Argentina must simply be allowed to play in one of these tournaments, because any other cobbled together league simply would not do for them. If they played an American continent cup or sorts....they would simply win all the damn time. Who could pose a threat to them other than the big guns of the tri-nations? Wales just scraped by with a win in the Millennium Stadium prior to the World Cup (thanks Duncan Jones!). But if the Pumas were to compete in the 6 Nations, it is a fair bet that there would be succession of titles (Grand Slams even) for the foreseeable future.

Argentina by all rights could end up winning the World Cup, if they can beat South Africa in the semi-final at Saint-Denis on October 14. That would conceivably set them up for New Zealand (or Australia if a shock is order). And then....who knows? Could the All Blacks be beaten by a Black Sheep? Let’s hope so.

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