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Contepomi wary of Namibia

Contepomi: 'We have to get the bonus point'

Argentina star Felipe Contepomi believes securing a crucial bonus point against Namibia in Marseille on Saturday is no foregone conclusion.

The Pumas' Pool D rivals Ireland failed to dispatch Georgia with a maximum five-point haul, convincing Contepomi that the group's minnows are no pushovers.

"We have to win and be ambitious," said the mercurial Leinster back.

"Every match is a new story for us and if we are able to achieve what we want, then we have to get the bonus point.

"Against Georgia we learned it's never easy to get it and we felt better when we saw Ireland couldn't achieve it against Georgia."

But Argentina's encounter with Namibia is small fry compared to encounter between France and Ireland in Paris on Friday night - a do-or-die contest for both sides.

That game will have a major bearing on Argentina's immediate future, but Contepomi was at pains to bring the focus back to the Stade Vélodrome.

"Ireland's game with France is of no importance to us - all that matters is us qualifying in the first place," he said.

"I don't mind about the others because I just worry for Argentina's colours."

Contepomi surrendered the fly-half duties to Stade Français star Juan Martín Hernández for the opening two games of the World Cup.

But Hernández has been ruled out with a back injury until the final Pool D clash against Ireland a week on Sunday, forcing the reshuffle.

Contepomi, who will be winning his 55th cap tomorrow, is ready to resume shouldering the extra responsibility that comes at outside-half.

"When you play as a number twelve, you don't have to worry to be the playmaker of the team. As a number ten you take more decisions," he said.

"I have played many times as a fly-half for Leinster and for the national team alongside Agustín Pichot at scrum-half."

Meanwhile, Namibia prop Marius Visser is delighted to be back in the side after recovering from a knee injury - but is expecting a hard time containing the feared Pumas front row.

"For sure it has been a while since I played. I'm looking forward to it. It should be an awesome match against Argentina," he said.

"It will be a big challenge. So far it has not gone all our way in the scrum, so hopefully we can bring a change in our scrum.

"It will be very difficult, Argentina know how to scrum and it will be a big contest up front.

"But we'll have the Marseille crowd behind us and going for Namibia because Argentina are France's big rivals."