Argentina are first and foremost looking for a performance they can be proud of when they meet New Zealand in the rugby World Cup quarterfinals this weekend, captain Felipe Contepomi says.
The Pumas finished third at the last World Cup and, having never beaten New Zealand, are rank outsiders to break the All Blacks' 17-year unbeaten run at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.
Contepomi, who needs just five points to overtake Hugo Porta as Argentina's all-time leading points-scorer, said they would need to play the "perfect game" and enjoy more than a little luck, Reuters reports.
"We are playing against the best team in the world," the 34-year-old said on Friday. "We have been growing match-by-match and we hope to put up a performance we can be proud of and if that leads to a win then so much better.
"If both teams play at 100 percent then the odds will be against us, but it is sport and anything can happen in that 80 minutes."
A victory for Argentina on Sunday would rank as a huge World Cup upset and Contepomi said even two close tests between the teams over the past decade were not much reassurance.
"Those two games were at home with 40,000 people cheering us on. Here, we know we are playing the hosts."
Coach Santiago Phelan has reverted largely to the side that dramatically beat Scotland in the pool phase for the quarterfinal.
The only change from the starting line-up from that 13-12 win over the Scots was that enforced by the tournament-ending knee injury to No 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, who is replaced at the back of the scrum by Leonardo Senatore.
Senatore played in the last pool match against Georgia and there are four changes from that team with prop Rodrigo Roncero, lock Manuel Carizza, winger Gonzalo Camacho and fullback Martin Rodriguez recalled.
Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, whose converted try beat Scotland and effectively ensured Argentina's path to the knockout phase, returns to the reserves bench after starting at fullback in the disappointing 25-7 win over Georgia.
Team
Starting XV: Martin Rodriguez, Gonzalo Camacho, Marcelo Bosch, Felipe Contepomi (captain), Horacio Agulla, Santiago Fernandez, Nicolas Vergallo, Leonardo Senatore, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Julio Farias Cabello, Patricio Albacete, Manuel Carizza, Juan Figallo, Mario Ledesma, Rodrigo Roncero.
Reserves: Agustin Creevy, Martin Scelzo, Marcos Ayerza, Alejandro Campos, Alfredo Lalanne, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Juan Jose Imhoff.
