McNaughton - Pumas up for it

Motivation: Ireland play Argentina in the 2007 World Cup

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Ireland team manager Paul McNaughton has predicted the race for world ranking points will leave the home side facing a particularly tough challenge when Argentina visit Croke Park on Saturday.

The Pumas currently stand fourth in the International Rugby Board Rankings and, assuming nothing changes, they will head into the 2011 World Cup as one of the top-ranked nations.

England currently occupy fifth place and, with Tests against South Africa and New Zealand to come, could yet clinch fourth spot in time for the draw for the World Cup pool stages on December 1.

Victory against Ireland would strengthen Argentina's position and McNaughton has said the high stakes will give the opposition plenty of motivation this weekend.

"Argentina don't usually need any other incentive to beat Ireland - they have beaten us before when there's been nothing on the line," he said.

"But they still have a chance of retaining that fourth spot in the rankings and that gives them something more to play for.

"That would put them in the top tier if other results went the right way for them, so they certainly have something to fight for."

Must win

But the same applies to Ireland - even more so, given that they must beat Argentina to retain eighth place in the rankings and ensure they are not drawn alongside two top-tier nations in the pool stages.

Their motivation will doubtless come from their last World Cup group campaign, which was always going to be a struggle given they were drawn alongside hosts France and Argentina.

Ireland's fate was ultimately sealed by Saturday's opponents, who have won the last three encounters in a ferocious rivalry spanning just 18 years.

Head coach Declan Kidney knows Ireland must pull out all the stops if they are to beat a team placed higher in the rankings for the first time since victory against Australia in 2006.

"We have a huge game on Saturday when we'll try to stay in the top eight," he said.

"It's in our hands because we can beat a team ranked above us. We haven't done that in a while.

"Argentina just have that ability to soak up a lot of pressure and they play with a great work ethic.

"This month they played against France in Marseille, which is an extremely difficult place to go, and lost just 12-6. It could have gone in their favour.

"They looked even stronger in beating Italy last weekend because they put in a few more defensive nuances into the game.

"That put the Italians under that bit more pressure. Giving them another week under their belt means they will be even stronger now."