Rugby World Cup Sevens
Pumas not to be underestimated
Scrum.com
March 4, 2009
Argentina celebratebeating England to win the USA Rugby Sevens, USA 7s, IRB Sevens Series, Petco Park, San Diego, California, February 15, 2009
Argentina celebrate after winning the San Diego Sevens © Getty Images
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Teams: Argentina

Argentinean sides are all too accustomed to making an impact at World Cups. From Diego Maradona and their footballers in '86 to Agustin Pichot's magnificent Pumas at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, any Argentina side is dangerous on the world stage.

The Argentina Sevens side can now be added to this list following their breakthrough IRB Sevens World Series victory in San Diego last month. After tries from skipper Santiago Gomez Cora secured a 19-14 victory over England in the final the Pumas cannot be underestimated as the World Cup kicks off in Dubai on Thrusday.

"We now have trust in our team," Gomez Cora told IRB.com. "Before San Diego we had a good team in the World Series but we didn't think we could win a tournament. That tournament gave us a lot of trust and belief to know we can win tournaments again.

"The World Cup is different but teams are similar to the ones in San Diego, except maybe Fiji who have brought in some professional players, but we always believe in ourselves."

Argentina will have a special challenge in store in their opening game of the tournament, facing off against their South American neighbours Uruguay in Pool F.

"It is a classic, a South American classic, so it is very exciting," said Gomez Cora. "They are a very good team. All the matches are important but this is different because they are Uruguay. We know them from South America, they are our neighbours, like our brothers, and we hope to have a very good match."

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