Pumas bracing for Wallabies back row challenge

Sun, Oct 25, 2015, 1:00 AM
AAP
by AAP

Argentina number eight Leonardo Senatore says the Pumas will be ready for the challenge of the Wallabies back row on Sunday.

With David Pocock (calf) returning to the Australia side to face Los Pumas, the Wallabies’ back row is at its most intimidating , with Michael Hooper at openside  and Scott Fardy at blindside.

Senatore said his team would go into the match with the belief they can match it with their opponents.

“We can beat them, that is my thought before every match,” he said.

“We know they will be tough and we will try to put them in a bad place and try to win that battle in every breakdown and every carry.

“It is going to be one of the key elements of the game.”

Senatore said the enormity of the match was not lost on Los Pumas but they are taking an optimistic approach to the week.

“I’m very excited,” he said.

“It is going to be a great game - not only because it is a semi-final - but because every time we play against Australia it is a big game for us.

“We are really looking forward to playing to demonstrate what we are able to do."

Argentina were considered the biggest surprise among the final four teams but Senatore said their equal-best World Cup performance was no shock to their system.

“A lot of people are surprised, but for us it isn’t a surprise as we have been working hard for this."

One thing the two sides will agree on this week is their stance on previous match ups between the two sides.

Argentina has beaten Australia just twice in the past 18 years but one of those came a year ago.

“Australia are one of the best teams in the world and they have shown that in every match.

“They have looked good every time we played them, but those matches are in the past and this match is a World Cup semi-final.”

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