Para quien tocan los campanas? The last rites await us.

For many nations this World Cup will bring the biggest occasion of their team's history, as each tournament regularly does and should continue to do. It’s a part of the magic and Rugby World Cup 2007 has laid down a marker in that respect.

The ‘rookie teams’ have blessed the tournament with their seminal moments and other journeymen teams, like Tonga, waited in the wings, sharpening their proverbial claws. I did think that rugby history was going to be written on Friday.

'The Pumas have a spy in the camp - and worse still, we invited him in'


For others it will bring their latest ebb as their fortunes sink. Among these is mine. We (Ireland, that is) meet Argentina while England faced Tonga. What we would not give for a swap. Even Syd himself can’t swing that one.

Whatever passion, fight, gutsiness and feistiness we have been credited with to date, it seems the pendulum in these virtues has swung the other way. Now the Pumas are playing with pride and a steely determination borne in part out of indignation that they have been cast out by ‘our club.’ Within this determination lies a ‘terrible beauty.’ They are playing something that is, if not ‘total rugby,’ then certainly the epitome of ‘smart rugby.’

We know them not, but they know us. You see, they have a spy in the camp - and worse still, we invited him in. In retrospect, it seems like it was in the ‘good idea at the time’ category. There might be closer links between these two countries than you think. After RWC 2003, Felipe Contepomi signed for Leinster and is their Man in Havana, so to speak. He might just have a word or two on Ernesto Che Lynch Guevera, who hailed from the Pampas but had an Irish grandad.

He certainly has the inside track on the Irish squad. Dr Contepomi recently completed his medical studies in Dublin and is said to be in close contact with the Irish camp and his provincial teammates - until this week naturally. And who would do otherwise? These players rejoin forces for the provincial campaigns that are their bread and butter after all this. But first, there’s this match on Sunday and soon after that the church bells will be ringing for one side.

In the build-up to this game in the Irish press there has been endless criticism of the team's performance but no genuine acknowledgement of why these Pumas are performing so well. This shows a lack of insight. They have a myriad of players who are practically unknown to us. Lesson No.1 in the Art of War – know your enemy. Not only are they playing out of their skins but they know both us and the French side well.

That is why the bell is now tolling for us.

Can Ireland upset the odds against Argentina and qualify for the quarter-finals? Post your comments below.