Pichot ready for RWC opener
Pumas lie in wait of hosts
Argentina captain Agustín Pichot is looking to next year's Rugby World Cup in France as an opportunity to erase some painful memories.
The Pumas, who qualified for the 2007 tournament by beating Uruguay 26-0 on Saturday, failed to progress pass the pools in 2003 and were knocked out by France in the quarter-finals in 1999.
They will open the competition against hosts France next year, and the Stade Français scrum-half is determined to put on a good show this time around.
"Playing in France will be an exciting experience for this team and will give us an opportunity to put right what were disappointing results in the last two tournaments and push to progress to the quarter-finals," said Pichot.
"I live in Paris, so I know exactly what to expect. It will be an incredible atmosphere and the French public will embrace the tournament and get behind their team.
"So for us, it will be a great pleasure to open the 2007 Rugby World Cup but also an extremely challenging game."
Uruguay now face Chile on July 22 to decide who progresses to the Americas play-off against the runners-up of the North America & Caribbean Zone, which concludes with the game between Canada and USA in Newfoundland in August.
