Loffreda ready for Italian job
Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda has declared himself content as the Pumas completed a series sweep of Ireland with a 16-0 victory in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
Federico Todeschini kicked four of five and Manuel Contepomi added a late try for Argentina, while Ireland struggled throughout as Jeremy Staunton missed three penalties.
Argentina, who will meet Ireland in their final Group D game at the World Cup, also claimed a 22-20 victory in Santa Fe last weekend.
“It has been a very positive series. Argentina have been very solid in defence in both matches,” said Loffreda.
“I saw the team tackle very well, it played line-outs very well and we did not give away points.
“We’ve started to work on some aspects of the line-out that have not given positive results yet, but we are on the road to make it more accurate.”
Argentina meet Ireland in Paris on August 30 in Group D, which also includes hosts France and rugby minnows Namibia and Georgia.
“This Test is just one more stage in our preparations and I am clear that we have 45 players in mind and from them we’ll have to pick 30,” added Loffreda.
“These two victories are very useful to help the players’ mood ahead of the World Cup.”
Contepomi scored the only try of the match in injury-time after a five-minute battle in the scrum.
“We are more than 30 players and we know that only 30 will go to the World Cup,” he said.
“This is a very good group and each player knows that they can either be in or out the World Cup squad.
“It’s a matter of working hard, doing our best and then wait for the coach’s decision.”
Loffreda has named a 22-man squad to face Italy next weekend at the Malvinas Argentinas Stadium in Mendoza.
Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, who missed the second Test against Ireland due to sickness, is included in the squad.
Argentina squad: Horacio Agulla (Hindu), Pablo Albacete, Omar Hasan (both Toulouse), Marcelo Bosch, Manuel Carizza, Martin Gaitan (all Biarritz), Manuel Contepomi (Rovigo), Tomas De Vedia (Saracens), Martin Durand (Montpellier), Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe (both Sale Sharks), Nicolas Fernandez Miranda (Bayonne), Pablo Gambarini (CASI), Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino (Capitolina), Eusebio Gui?azu (Agen), Pablo Henn (Montauban), Juan Miguel Leguizamon (London Irish), Francisco Leonelli (Glasgow Warriors), Martin Schusterman (Leeds Tykes), Federico Serra (SIC), Federico Todeschini (Montpellier), Nicolas Vergallo (Jockey Club Rosario).
