Corleto baits the Boks

Corleto: 'Our goal is not complete'

Corleto: 'Our goal is not complete'

Argentina star Ignacio Corleto has lit the fuse ahead of Sunday's World Cup semi-final by claiming that the Springboks might fall foul of their own "arrogance".

South Africa centre Jaque Fourie insisted quarter-final opponents Fiji didn't deserved respect because they had never beaten the Boks, but his comments only served to fire up the islanders in Marseille last weekend.

In the end, South Africa's superior forward power carried them into the last four and they are now hot favourites for the tournament.

But Corleto is convinced Argentina can overturn the odds and create yet another slice of history by reaching a first ever World Cup Final.

"Their weakness could be their arrogance; they are always saying they are the best," said the Stade Français full-back of the Boks.

"No, we have never beaten them - that's what the stats books say, but in this World Cup all the stats have changed.

"There's always a first time and hopefully Sunday will be ours.

"We are going into it to win. We're going for the Final. Our team is not going to let anyone step over us.

"I don't feel the same as Scotland when they said they were satisfied with reaching the quarter-finals and that anything that came afterwards was a bonus - our goal is not complete."

Argentina may have never beaten South Africa - but two of the last three meetings saw the Springboks win by just a single point.

In 2005 they edged Argentina 23-22 in Buenos Aires and two years earlier in Port Elizabeth it was 26-25, and Corleto believes the key to victory on Sunday might lies between the ears.

"Defence is going to be crucial, but the most important thing is organisation," he said.

"We've been working on it for many years and there is a physical aspect to it as well as a mental one. The details are very important.

"In South Africa the backs are as massive as the forwards. Their game is physical, though not because they are in better shape but because in the one-on-ones they are physically superior to anyone - and they play to hit.

"That's the basis of their game and that's how they beat you mentally."