Irish face Pumas in part one of 2007 rugby triple clash

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Many of the leading men in this year’s World Cup clash between Ireland and Argentina will be missing, but Saturday’s first test in Santa Fe gets the pot boiling again in a saga dating back to Lens in 1999.

The coaches will be looking at fringe players in the two-test series, that includes a second match in Buenos Aires a week later, seeking clues for their squads for the World Cup in France later in the year.

The Group D meeting between the two countries in Paris on Sept 30 is the focus of both coaches and another chapter in their World Cup rivalry.

The Pumas denied Ireland a place in the 1999 quarter-finals in Dublin when they upset them 28-24 in the French town of Lens. Ireland had their revenge four years later in Australia with a 16-15 win.

The two have been drawn in hosts France’s group, setting the scene for a triangular tussle for two quarter-final berths.

"Although this series will have no meaning looking ahead to the World Cup, the reality is that it’s part of the preparation. If I was French I’d send someone to watch the series," Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan said.

"The atmosphere created in Argentina is very tough. It’s a hard place to play, where you are under a lot of pressure," O’Sullivan told reporters in Santa Fe where the match will .....continued below

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In the absence of Brian O’Driscoll and numerous other Triple Crown winners, Ireland will be led by prop Simon Best.

Leinster flyhalf Felipe Contepomi will captain Argentina while Agustin Pichot is fulfilling club commitments in France.

O’Sullivan is handing league convert Brian Carney his debut after the 29-year-old changed codes this year and Saracens wing Tomas de Vedia wins his first Argentina cap, also at left wing.

Glasgow Warriors wing Francisco Leonelli and veteran lock Pablo Bouza of Leeds are back for Argentina after a long absence having helped a similarly depleted Pumas side hold the British and Irish Lions to a draw in Cardiff two years ago.

"They have a good, strong team that tries to play an expansive game with backs that can cause a lot of damage," said Leonelli.

"The incentive is always to play for Argentina. If we have our minds more on the World Cup than this match...we’re sure to make mistakes."

Teams:

Argentina: 15-Bernardo Stortoni; 14-Tomas de Vedia, 13-Miguel Avramovic, 12-Hernan Senillosa, 11-Francisco Leonelli; 10-Felipe Contepomi (captain), 9-Nicolas Vergallo; 8-Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7-Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 6-Martin Durand, 5-Esteban Lozada, 4-Pablo Bouza, 3-Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino, 2-Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 1-Marcos Ayerza

Replacements: 16-Matias Cortese, 17-Pablo Cardinali, 18-James Stuart, 19-Genaro Fessia, 20-Lucio Lopez Fleming, 21-Juan Fernandez Miranda, 22-Horacio Agulla

Ireland: 15-Gavan Duffy; 14-Brian Carney, 13-Andrew Trimble, 12-Kieran Lewis, 11-Tommy Bowe; 10-Paddy Wallace, 9-Isaac Boss; 8-Jamie Heaslip, 7-Keith Gleeson, 6-Neil Best, 5-Malcolm O’Kelly, 4-Trevor Hogan, 3-Simon Best (captain), 2-Jerry Flannery, 1-Bryan Young

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