The Pumas are now ranked fifth in the world, ahead of Ireland, England and Wales and their lofty status is a reflection of the steady progress achieved in recent years. Marcelo Loffreda's side enter this tournament as the third team in Pool D, but should they beat Ireland, as they did in Lens in 1999, or even the hosts, not too many pundits will be surprised. Argentina’s game has traditionally been based around a fearsome forward pack spearheaded by a brutal frontrow that has frequently been the envy of the world. High importance is placed on scrummaging - which the Pumas view as the key battleground in the game - as many opponents have discovered to their cost.

But to suggest they are a one-dimensional side only capable of grinding out victories up front would do a grave injustice to an ever-improving backline. The stars of the team are veteran halfback duo Agustin Pichot and Felipe Contepomi, a mercurial pair who each have the ability to single-handedly turn a match. Some may lament their misfortune at being drawn alongside Ireland and France in the pool stages, but their rivals will be feeling equally nervous at the prospect of falling victim to one of the sport’s growing powerhouses.

• Felipe Contepomi
  No Irish rugby fans will need reminding of 'Dr Phil'. The affable Argentinean has regularly treated fans here to swashbuckling displays in the Leinster number 10 shirt since his move to Dublin. He has scored 812 points for Michael Cheika's side, but he is as important to the Pumas as he is to the Lions. Argentina's powerful pack provides a steady platform for Contepomi to cut a cocky swagger in the midfield and unlock defences. His ability to tag on conversions and penalties will also punish any reckless play from the opposition.
• Augustin Pichot
  The experienced captain of the Pumas is no stranger to the big stage, having debuted for Argentina against Australia in 1995. The Stade Francais veteran, who joined the French club from Bristol in 2003, is the Pumas’ general. A wily and gifted playmaker who has usually enjoyed the luxury of operating behind a pack that rarely takes a backwards step, Pichot has been one of the finest and most consistent scrum-halves of the last 10 years. The passage of time - he will be 33 when the World Cup starts - may have made him less willing to go for the gaps, but he remains a threat around the fringes.
• Juan Manuel Leguizamon
  Leguizamon could well emerge as one of the players of the tournament if Argentina can progress from a tough pool. The 24-year-old number eight was signed by London Irish on the back of some stunning performances as an amateur against the Lions in 2005. He remains a raw talent but his power and athleticism add something extra to the sheer brute force of the Puma pack. Nicknamed 'The Spaniard’ after Russell Crowe's character in Gladiator, Leguizamon may well find himself very much at home in daunting World Cup arenas.

• Forwards
  Patricio Albacete, Rimas Alvarez Kairelis, Marcos Iván Ayerza, Martín Alberto Durand, Carlos Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe, Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, Omar Hasan, Mario Ezequiel Ledesma Arocena, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Gonzalo Matías Longo Elia, Esteban Lozada, Lucas Ostiglia, Rodrigo Roncero, Martín Scelzo, Martín Schusterman, Alberto Vernet Basualdo.
• Backs
  Agustín Pichot (capt.), Felipe Contepomi, Manuel Contepomi, Ignacio Corleto, Nicolás Fernández Miranda, Martin Gaitan, Juan Martín Hernández, Horacio Agulla, Lucas Borges, José María Núñez Piossek, Federico Serra Miras, Gonzalo Pedro Tiesi, Federico Todeschini.